The Funeral Parlor
Parlor invokes a sense of home
and family coming together
Outside, I gathered bright red apples
bruised from their bumpy fall
But still sweet and full
with so much to offer
Was it Sleeping Beauty?
Did she eat the wrong apple?
Was she pricked with a raging illness?
Yes, she was beautiful
Kissed and un-stirring
Were we all dreaming
struck with grief arrows full
promises of pies and tomorrow?
I filled my pockets
with the damaged fruit
leaving the best ones still on the tree
Then I laid down
but I did not sleep
too full with the weight
of remembering
In November’s descent
the peaceful night stings
It’s too dark to see
all the reasons
– This was written around 1999 after the suicide of a Floyd friend. /Poets United
September 24th, 2016 3:29 pm
That basically says it all!
September 25th, 2016 11:52 am
too dark to see all the reasons… sad and tragic.
September 25th, 2016 2:01 pm
I am struck by “too dark to see all the reasons”. So very sad, when someone loses hope that tomorrow can be better.
September 25th, 2016 2:03 pm
I especially like the Sleeping Beauty connection … particularly how you describe her in this line: “Kissed and un-stirring”
The apples add so much bitter-sweet color to the black and white painting the rest of the scene. And like with Snow White, I’m imagining her lipstick being as red as the apples, further coloring, and maybe somewhat uplifting, the darkness of the funeral home.
September 25th, 2016 2:16 pm
Beautifully poignant ?
September 25th, 2016 3:05 pm
The gathering of fruit and the word parlour seem connected in a way.. Trying desperately to find comfort and answers in dark times – sometimes it’s all we can do
September 25th, 2016 3:43 pm
I particularly like how you tied the leaving of the best fruits in the tree and the mourning…
September 25th, 2016 4:02 pm
I understand.
ZQ
September 25th, 2016 5:41 pm
This is very touching, poignant, and really evokes the autumn mood.
http://inthecornerofmyeye.blogspot.com/2016/09/reflection.html
September 25th, 2016 8:42 pm
I wonder whether other mammals also mourn their friends and loved ones passing with a sadness. Do they too realize that there is an end to life that we comfort ourselves with religion and sense of something later. My dog never told me and the cat just turned his back on me.