Eulogy
I don't want to keep planning
I don't want to keep planning
your eulogy,
filling my mind with details
of your impending funeral:
choosing the casket
for the viewer's sake
as we've both agreed upon
ecologically sound cremation,
our ashes to colour sunsets worldwide
and flavour all seven oceans
-- so we, earthlings,
return to our earth --
picking out the place
-- temporary for ceremony's sake --
why are they called funeral homes?
who is ever 'at home' there?
though they post 'visiting' hours,
yours or mine?
deciding on which charity
in lieu of flowers
when all that's flowering is loss,
settling a time, one final imposed date,
who will speak what music
which clothes menus for mourners?
even thank-you cards for those who grieved
-- 'paid their respects' --
commercial to the end.
Things Unsaid by Bernice Lever
This is from a poetry book that I found a few years ago at the Word on the Street Festival. Signed by the author.
filling my mind with details
of your impending funeral:
choosing the casket
for the viewer's sake
as we've both agreed upon
ecologically sound cremation,
our ashes to colour sunsets worldwide
and flavour all seven oceans
-- so we, earthlings,
return to our earth --
picking out the place
-- temporary for ceremony's sake --
why are they called funeral homes?
who is ever 'at home' there?
though they post 'visiting' hours,
yours or mine?
deciding on which charity
in lieu of flowers
when all that's flowering is loss,
settling a time, one final imposed date,
who will speak what music
which clothes menus for mourners?
even thank-you cards for those who grieved
-- 'paid their respects' --
commercial to the end.
Things Unsaid by Bernice Lever
This is from a poetry book that I found a few years ago at the Word on the Street Festival. Signed by the author.
