Quiet

House full: family, friends,
Familiar faces, and
Welcomed acquaintances tend
To the covered dishes
Flowing from countertop to table’s end.

Open gift bags followed by trails of toys,
Games, books, crayons, pencils, markers, dolls, and laughter.
Children play with looks of joy.
Time ticks to trinkets and talking.
Keeping them busy, a difficult ploy.

The house swells with visitors, cards, condolences
Leading up to the big day.
The house cat hides, winces
Until the visitors go away.
Joyful sadness overwhelms his senses.

Respects are paid.
Visitors slowly trail away.
Husband, father, brother, son, friend; to rest he is laid.
His wife and two daughters, together at the end of the day
To carry the burden, heavy, until now unweighed.

Quiet household crying
Tears of remembrance
Comforted by the housecat lying
Next to them.
A world left sighing.