Unmarked

Memories sleep alone in the park
No heat in the fire, not even a spark
Scavengers gather, pick at the heart
Savages cadaverous and dark

One by one in a circular route
The nights all dance, purveyors of doubt
Nobody here gives a damn about
A flamekeeper asleep as the fire fades out

Turn my mind into a penny arcade
Costumed words in a carnival parade
Prominence displayed at the promenade
Bus tour tickets to an unmarked charade

Inhaled kisses of the girls in May
Feel like a whispering November day
The fire in the hearth has come to stray
Winter winds come and take our breath away

Forget the living, eulogize the dead
That's what mommy and daddy always said
It doesn't really matter where you cast your bread
The vultures 'round here are always well-fed

Turn my mind into a penny arcade
Costumed words in a carnival parade
Prominence displayed at the promenade
Bus tour tickets to an unmarked charade

 © John Kennan 11-13-19