“The Day of the Dead” by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Your tombstone stands among the rest;
Neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiseled out
On polished, marbled stone.
It reaches out to all who care
It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I exist
You died and I was born.
Yet each of us are cells of you
In flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our blood contracts and beats a pulse
Entirely not our own.
Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago
Spreads out among the ones you left
Who would have loved you so.
I wonder if you lived and loved,
I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this spot,
And come to visit you.
~ Author Unknown
Listen …
With faint dry sound,
Like steps of passing ghosts,
The leaves, frost-crisp’d, break free from the trees
And fall.
~ Adelaide Crapsey
(November Night)
Samhain: November 7, 2011, 1:27 p.m.
November 6, 2012, 7:10 p.m.
All Hallows’ Eve ~ All Saint’s Day
Celtic New Year
Day of the Dead ~ Halloween ~ Hallowmas
Last Harvest ~ Martinmas ~ Samhain
Ancestors
Seasonal Movie:
Sleepy Hollow
Activities:
Visit graves of ancestors at cemeteries…
Hi,
Great post, I loved the poem and the picture by the grave, sweet but sad at the same time. Happy Halloween.
Than you, Mags. Bouguereau’s paintings are always very evocative…
A heartwarming poem that reminds all of us of our love ones who passed away. Every year me and my family would visit our dead relatives on All Saints Day or All Souls Day to offer our prayers. I miss that now that Im in a different country. Beautiful post my friend. Happy Halloween.
Thank you, my friend! With people on the move so much I think most of us find that many of our ancestors’ graves are too far away to visit every year, but prayers can be offered from our hearts from any place we find ourselves on this little blue planet. I love what you wrote about Halloween and All Souls’ Day:
http://consumerjournaldotnet.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/weekly-photo-challenge-hidden/
Very atmospheric for the season :) Happy Halloween!
Thank you, Tracy! I hope your Halloween was happy, too. :)
Hi Barbara,
This painting of Bouguereau’s is so sad and so perfect in its simplicity. What’s the symbolism of the wreaths?
Beautiful poem –
“Your tombstone stands among the rest/Neglected and alone….
and
It is too late to mourn./You did not know that I exist/
You died and I was born…
And interesting synchronicity that I also explained the background to Halloween on my post
http://wp.me/pN0M1-W8
I enjoyed your Halloween post, Rosie, and found it very informative. There is so much more to this celebration than I ever learned as a child…
According to the website, My Grave Addiction, “Wreaths on tombstones symbolize victory over death.”
http://www.mygraveaddiction.com/
Thank you Barbara.
And thank you for explaining the meaning of the wreaths.
You’re welcome!
Hi Barbara. Very nice tribute to Hallowe’en. I also like the little poem on the leaves. Jane
Thank you, Jane!