I haven’t thought much about her ashes
since she’s been gone. Grief, as I’ve known it,
never needed a physical place to take up residence

But I’m worried about the ashes now
as we try and make our peace
with dispersing the dust of what is left behind

How will I know which ashes were there on my first day of school?
Which ones listened to me when I needed to share my troubles?
Maybe I’ll be able to make out those that were part of her smile…

All I can know for certain is that love
is where the ashes and dust came from
and love will place them over the welcoming sea,
along the November coast where she would want to be