You died
but there is no gaping hole.
No wilderness of sad streets, no wailing
mourners dirging down desolate roads. The sun
burns bright on green valleys and opulent fields
of wildflowers, loosestrife, bull thistle and burdock,
the natural world insouciant.
Cars clatter across the town while feckless faces
stare ahead, steer into an uncertain future.
Boys gather at the school you were so fond of,
poking and pulling at one another,
blurring noises and visions into a low, long moan.
Old routines return, remaining even after death
for those who do not, cannot, follow you to the grave.
Inevitably, we moved on. Still
there are occasions, when morning red skies
or the breeze of a balmy summer evening
ignite a spark, we speak of you.
Shirin Abedinirad, Dance of Tree, 2018. Land art, Mongolia. Presented at the 5th Land Art Biennial LAM 360°: Who Are We Now?, the work wraps a tree in translucent fabric, allowing wind, branches, shadow, and light to choreograph a quiet performance between nature and viewer. Drawing the audience into what Abedinirad calls “a silent dialogue with nature,” the installation becomes a meditation on movement, repetition, and the mighty presence of the natural world. Artwork courtesy of featured artist Shirin Abedinirad.
