The Ancestors by Wayne F. Burke

died without a peep; died
with drawers full of
paid receipts and
ink-stained ledgers
of thumb prints that
recorded only
the story of dollars
earned and spent:
the gas station and
the INN--
the car that went from home
to work and back; the
early mornings and late
nights in the cold & dark,
the rolls of nickels
stored in a metal box
along with insurance policies
that never paid enough
to make a difference
in anyone's life.



Wayne F. Burke's poetry has been widely published in print and online. He is author of 8 published poetry collections, one book of short stories, and a non-fiction work titled HENRY MILLER: SPIRIT & FLESH. He lives in Vermont.