Day 1,001

He has lost his whole family:
sons, daughters, grandchildren.
His wife. His brother.
Now he sits outside his tent,
watching a group of boys
kick a ball. Watching another boy
carry water to his mother.
How has it come to this,
that he is the one survivor
of his family? His tent-neighbors
bring him anything he needs,
sit and talk with him
at the end of day. Listen
to his memories, which
are all he has. His memories
are like small stones he arranges
in rows, day after day,
exchanging places
with each other. They taunt him
or comfort him, they
surround him
with sorrow, with
horror, with
longing; but they
do not let him fall.
They do not abandon him
to his loneliness.