A large extended family united in a funeral

A large extended family at a funeral The choir sings, the organ groans
Tears flow gently among stifled moans
The church is white, the sky is grey
They greet each other, but know not what to say
The six grandchildren march together
A casket in their hands
From the middle of the church
Into the windy weather
A symbol of what love demands
From this death will come life, the hearts hope
As they cling to each other in order to cope
The casket is lowered into the ground
With a soft earthly sound

A large extended family united in a funeral
The 6 grandchildren march as one
Supporting the casket and the hope of their clan
Many whispering words to the great man
A lively figure, a poet with sparkling eyes
In these moments, together the hearts realize
That the spirit has left, the body’s work is done
He had death in his eyes for some time
Most agreed his soul was ready to climb
Towards its majestic destination, its true goal
But unease settles over how to fill a gaping hole

A large extended family at a funeral
It is time for an enormous funeral feast
Fuzzy hazy emotions mingle with the surreal
As family friends munch on lamb, fish and veal
There’s a bittersweet mixture of grief and contentment
As the death also brings money for some to pay rent
Loud clapping at the news that a cousin is pregnant
Replacing the death, a birth has been sent

Comments on “A large extended family united in a funeral”:

shiva says:
7 Jan 2011, 01:45

very, very relatable.