Oh, what a shame
to see
a lost spirit
stuck in the mud
digging for worms
and trapped ghosts
when all we’d wish
to behold
is the grasp letting go
of this mortal coil
and ascending
to the heavens well-earned
with one final kiss
placed on the forehead
and farewells flooding tears
for the fallen
as off the tongue
and crossing pursed lips
are words prayed in sadness
accepting the passing
of flesh back to soul
where you’ll watch over
all our days with protection
smiling back from the source
____________________________________________________________________
Of Tongues and Tar
by Scott Thomas Outlar
Bio: Scott Thomas Outlar is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He now lives and writes in Frederick, Maryland. His work has been nominated multiple times for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. He guest-edited the Hope Anthology of Poetry from CultureCult Press as well as the 2019-2023 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag. He is the author of seven books, including Songs of a Dissident (2015), Abstract Visions of Light (2018), Of Sand and Sugar (2019), and Evermore (2021 - written with co-author Mihaela Melnic). Selections of his poetry have been translated and published in 14 languages. He has been a weekly contributor at Dissident Voice for the past eight and a half years.
More about Outlar's work can be found at 17Numa.com.
