Away to Other Places - poem

Death was not a flavour
held for long in the minds
of ten-year-olds only a
word which meant Danny
would no longer be sharing
car spaces from thumbing
rides to the bridge out of
town where perch nibbled
at the worm our hooks were
adorned with. Yes he passed
on that young boy who was
run over after leaving him
in our return home with our
prized catches of the day.

Later we learned he passed
away on that place we fished
from one side of the bridge
to oblivion on his way to the
other side and in the dirt of
that moment Danny left us.
The innocence of our thoughts
where death plays no part.

In my mature years I finally
recognized a lost son a loved
one not growing up into family
nor sunshine ways and finally
grieve for him this sad time.

© Richard L. Provencher