Painted Vase

Cemetery, City of Louisville, Colorado.

Pouting Angel

Cemetery, City of Lafayette, Colorado.

Spear and Flower

A spear and a flower stand guard duty at a soldier's stone. Cemetery, City of Lafayette, Colorado.

Sun Shadow

Cemetery, City of Louisville, Colorado.

A Very Old Cemetery

I went up to Columbia Cemetery in Boulder (Colorado) after work to shoot some pics. It felt empty and dreary there, for all the sun shone and cheery dandelions proclaimed the return of spring. No one leaves decorations by the gravestones there, the way they do at Louisville and Lafayette cemeteries. At Louisville and Lafayette, the dead are The Dearly Departed, much loved, much respected and much missed. The dead at Columbine Cemetery are The Forgotten.

In all fairness, though, Columbia is a very old cemetery. Who remembers you when you've been dead for 50 years? Who is there to put flowers on your grave when you've been gone a century?

Chrysanthemums

Cemetery, Louisville, Colorado

Helart

Cemetery, Louisville, Colorado

Pinwheel

This cheery pinwheel, whirling in the breeze, celebrates the life of someone's dear departed. Cemetery, City of Lafayette

Thoughts on Persephone

The goddess Kore went down to the underworld and became Persephone. She didn't go of her own free will. Like we mortals are, she was kidnapped. Unlike we mortals, she was released and she returned. Her mother had advocated for her and won her freedom. But no one advocates for mortals. Once we're gone, we're gone, no matter that our mother grieves and beseeches the gods for us.

Father

One little stone, all alone; no 'Mother' stone nearby. Cemetery, City of Lafayette

Branch/Claw

Cemetery, City of Lafayette

Hawk and Sparrow

I went to my dad's last night to help pay bills, as I've done every week without fail (practically) since Mom died five years ago. Dad's 70 now. He enjoys life and people very much. His hair's been white for a while but suddenly last night, he looked as though the years were catching up with him. It was easy for me to imagine being at his funeral the way we'd been at Mom's.

He told me how he saw a hawk catch a sparrow the other day. The hawk perched on his back fence and ripped the sparrow to shreds. It was horrible to watch. I spent the evening thinking about how death stalks each one of us. It lurks right behind. We might die violently or gently, but we are gonna die. Remember that, and let it make each moment sweeter.

The Stones at Arlington

Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C.

Arlington

Arlington Cemetery, Washington D.C.
PhotoFriday: Organized

Little Angel

Cemetery, City of Lafayette

Landscape

Cemetery, City of Lafayette

Heart Stone

A heart-shaped headstone lies broken. Cemetery, City of Lafayette

Headstone

BARNARDI DOMENICO, NATO 1855, MORTO 1913
Cemetery, City of Lafayette, Colorado

In the Mist I

Cemetery, City of Lafayette, Colorado

In the Mist II

Cemetery, City of Lafayette, Colorado