What Matters
(for Doeba Brophleh 1968-2011)
You are the eyes through which
we see into the heart of things.
Through your word-palette,
your magic word-wand,
we enter a sphere where,
“breathing is weighed down by cement blocks,”
“the floor races up to meet my body.”
We form new understandings,
break the perimeters of our perception.
Through your camera’s eye, nature’s friend,
lets us into your secret realm.
Do we see what you see?
No words can express beauty’s reverence
captured by your lenses, locked in time
like characters on a Grecian urn.
We try to reach into the heart
of all you have given us.
We embrace your legacy
which cannot be taken away.
It is what matters.
*“breathing (is) weighed down by cement blocks,” “the floor race up to meet my body.”
Lines taken from the short story, Strange Solitude (2009, Sea Breeze: Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings, by Doeba Bropleh.
© Althea Romeo-Mark October 19, 2011
Field of Souls
(for Doeba Bropleh 1968-2011)
A leaf has fallen.
It isn’t the season yet.
Whirling silently
in the wind,
it alights
upon earth’s bosom.
It won’t be lonesome
nestled on the mound.
It sleeps
in the field of souls,
gives life in its death.
In spring
we’ll gather bouquets
of flowers.
© Althea Romeo-Mark
See additional tributes
http://www.liberiaseabreeze.com/tributes.htm
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