First Mourning by Donald Sellitti 

(to my granddaughter Athena)







Just a lump upon my lap now,



you will one day watch me



dying. You’ll be sad,



but not too much, I hope.



Your first lesson in grief, 



I’ll be an easy one. 



It will get harder.







So starting now 



while I am nothing



but a shadow in



your eyes, 



I’ll begin preparing you



for that first mourning:







with my laughter and



my singing, 



and my tickles



and my stories. 



And my kisses 



and my kisses



and my kisses.

About the Poet:

Donald Sellitti honed his writing skills as a scientist/educator at a Federal medical school in Bethesda, MD before turning to poetry following his retirement. Numerous publications in journals with titles such as Cancer Research and Oncology Letters have been followed by publications in journals with titles like The Alchemy Spoon, Better than Starbucks, and Rat’s Ass Review, which nominated him for a Pushcart Prize in 2022.