Yellow Bone

Yellow bone amid the gunsmoke-

you arise from the pyre of human chaos

and blink groggily at the modern world.

You arise from your breathing grave-

from the boarded-up mouth,

from your river of forgotten blood.

O, city of orphans,

pay your respects in secrecy.

Tend to your wounds behind the moon

and among the clouds.

Ignore the unbroken murderers

who sift through the ashes in your hair.

Ignore the last-minute looters.

Pluck the skulls from your dress

and wipe the dust from your teeth.

Yellow bone among the stars-

a vision, like a saint-

pull your memories up by the eye sockets

and you shall,

with time,

be pretty yet.

Catherine Cimillo Cavallone is a teacher and poet.  Her work has appeared in Four Walls, Sensations Magazine, The Rift Arts Forum Publication, Beyond the Rift-Poets of the Palisades, Red River Review and has work forthcoming in Red Wheel Barrow and Oddville Press.  She lives in New Jersey with her husband, George and son, Michael.