burial detail

Freda

Warmer tonight-
the earth is moist, thick,
diggable.

A full moon,
Orion in the East,
a light breeze-
If you were ginna' die
you picked a fine night.

It could have been frozen,
6 below,
and I would have had to call
the knacker-
$175 bucks they want
to drag off your sorry ass.

Rosie is nickering
and crying for you,
as I torque the diesel,
belching soot-
and now I'm the one dragging your ass.

Years ago-
I had to carry you onto the trailer
foot by foot,
lifting each quivering leg
with all my strength.

I sweated and cursed you,
I knew then-
you would never leave this place.

Now you are buried
as deep as I can dig,
with Woody's tractor.

In the Spring-
we will plant
a crabapple tree
where we dug tonight,
and cover you,
with roots,
and earth,
and pasture,
and light.