anni reinacher jakob (September 2, 1923-January 5, 2007)
once upon a time
there was a village
where people laughed
& sang
where they loved the earth
& the earth loved
the people & gave them
all they needed
to be truly
happy.
it did not matter
that the great dark clouds
of destruction rained down
upon the land.
that so many starved.
that so many were killed
in bloody warfare.
that sadness &
tears seemed
unending.
still, the people
had their hills & their river
& their sayings & the sunlight
& each other.
twice the world
ended. twice the people
rose up & danced.
no family was spared
the tragedy of the
time; & every heart
wept, bleeding
into the aching
ground.
yet always, there was the love
of ernst for anni.
& always there were the seasons
& the harvests of children &
wine.
anni’s smile
was as welcoming
as the sky
& ernst could
make the devil
laugh.
in those days,
work made life
sweet.
the church bells
rang out,
up through the vineyards
& all across heaven
like an abundant
prayer.