Standing Stone

Standing Stone
by Resa Ferreira

Beneath the tarp
The stones stand
Still

Herashdo searched the mountain
For just such a one
And the other

"Do you know the story?"
Grandmother smiles
Breathes

He covered the stones
To protect them
He said

For where do you find
Stones that stand
Still?

No one could answer
Serlejo found the River Rock
It was never still

Just last week
We found it on the bank
One day's walk from here

But who walks
Anymore?
Who?

Except for a stone
That doesn't stand
Still.

Rascalo told me
That a tree may be
A stone

Trees stand
Still
Alone

Grandmother laughs
"You forget the branches"
She points

Moonlight makes shadow
And the trees
Dance

Herashdo has no thought
Of tree, shadow
No

He turned his ears
To the deep sound
Of stone

"Yes,yes," he nodded
"That one - yes
And the other"

"Grandfather
Will clap his hands
Just so."

"Ah, but you know
This story,"
Grandmother smiles

"No. No."
We whisper
Want her to go on

We remember Grandfather
His corn silk hair
Bushy brows

Grandmother fit
The curve
Of his arm

She showed us
His door
Ever closed

"This is where
The stones stand
Still."

Grandmother smiled
Grandmother smiles
Still

Beneath the tarp
Stone to stone
The world remade

Morning pushed open
Herashdo's eyes
Herashdo's ears

Up he came
A thunderbolt
In the silence.

Fine tuned ears
Searched
As hands fumbled

The knots
The rope
The tarp

Beneath the tarp
The truck bed stood
Empty

Herashdo found the earth
With knees
With forehead

His cry
Silent
Stirred the trees

At the bank of the river
Grandmother cradled
That one and the other

"You know this story,"
She wispered to one
Then the other

Herashdo found
Grandfather
Alone

The door was open
The room empty
Except

Grandmother smiles
We lean toward her
"For one," she whispers

"For one," we whisper
We see the door
We see

The standing stone
Still
Within Grandmother's lap

Herashdo knew
He must find
The stone

Herashdo knew
The standing stone
Was beginning and end

In the time
When night rules
Herashdo listened

Tarp in hand
Truck in gear
His journey rolled on

Herashdo searched themountain
For just such a one
And the other

"Do you know the story?"
Grandmother smiles
Breathes

Beneath the tarp
The stones stand
And whisper.