people you meet in graveyards

she was a small old woman
with a small old dog
taking small old steps

she moved so deliberately and peacefully
i could not help but pause

“my husband is buried up the way!”
she called, gesturing towards the west

“my daughter is buried down this hill!”
i called back (like we had known each other for years)

the small old woman sighed sadly and replied,
“to bury a husband is hard, but to bury a child
is to bury one’s soul!

and then she and her small old dog
kept walking small old steps