Wisp of Smoke

Oh! How I awed at that wisp of smoke,
How it was illumined by the suns soft rays,
How it shined radiantly the colors of the rainbow,
How mellifluously, softly, it spoke,
Words for minutes, hours, days,
Inaudible words of a beautiful glow.

What beauty! What sweet honey for the soul!
What mirth, what lightness from which springs this wonder,
That which separates smoke from coal,
That which casts them asunder.

Alas, confound this lightness!
Be damned, lightness!

Thou art the double-edged sword,
That split the living cord.
Beauty with strings attached,
Soon from existence detached.

Oh!...
Gloom-filled echoes,
Mourning in throes.
That river of life flows;
Towards, here, goes.

Dear wisp, life, thou art transcient.
But thou art immortal too.

Then, ever so often when the heart,
By memory is given a start,
And burns with love,
Wisp of smoke you exist a'gen!
"We will say you have risen above!!"
To your place in Heaven.


"To the beautiful girl,
Who too soon bade 'farewell',
We know you are well.
Hello, from those us left behind, to the 'Big Guy' tell. " - RJA