When people die
I wonder if they ever really leave us.
Or do they linger?
reminding us, 
"I'm still here."
Have you ever seen your father's smile
on a stranger?
Or heard your sister's laugh come out of
someone else's mouth?
Have you ever seen your cousin's long curly hair on
someone else's head, just like it was before the
chemo failed?
I've seen my grandfather plenty of times in
the mannerisms of others.
Like that one day when that old man got on the bus;
smiled and had dark brown wrinkling skin
just like him.
There were plenty of empty seats around, but he
sat next to me.
He didn't say anything, just sat there
letting me take him in.