Stone silent standing by the slab silent stone Thought in word impotent could not console Two strangers standing beyond grief control Each one by each stood but each stood alone. Guard in his duty of name to record Cold and impassive the gold curls fall Unblinking eyelids might wake in reward At hearing a name in spoken recall. Broke was the silence in palpable groan Stark was the marble, and starker the stone Starker by far was the chill in the cry At calling a name that could not reply. Each felt the hurt in the shame that was done If heaven could err, then this was its wrong.