Friday, May 26, 2006

No Dying On Thursdays!

You don’t die on Thursdays!
Didn’t you get the memo?
No dying on days of the week,
any other time is fine.
Work has to be stopped,
services arranged,
tears washed out of
shirts and blouses,
bungled up words
have to be stumbled over,
it’s just a mess,
can’t you see
it’s just a mess…
but you went and did it anyway.
I know all the other
Monday through Sunday passers
were glad to see you, but
they have eternity
we just have today.

(Dedicated to Terry, the best first cousin a younger cousin could have)

28 comments:

sangeet said...

Pat, what a lovely poignant piece!

Sangeet

Russell Ragsdale said...

There is a kind of crumbling bravery here that honest and unaffected. Beautiful but sorrowful! My condolences, Pat!

floots said...

the ironic humour
gives it so much power

as you say
"we just have today"

powerful piece

sage said...

your poems catch and hold my attention and I find myself reading them several times. Very good! Have you published a book of your poetry?

Anonymous said...

Condolences, hugs, and prayers, Pat.

Tupelo Honey said...

immortality through words...no one could ask for a better tribute

my heartfelt sympathies...

Lara said...

there is something in your language: an offbeat quip, an affecting phrase - just lovely. i enjoy your work.

Borut said...

I had such a cousin, and she died just like that, one Saturday night...

polona said...

my condolences, pat!
excellent powerful piece!

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

I'm sorry --- not much I can say

Masago said...

Pat, I would like to add my condolences.

Shubhodeep said...

very hard-hitting. the last two lines are especially moving!
my condolonces as well.

(sorry i couldnt return ur visits earlier. do visit again. may i link you on my site?)

ALIKOY said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ALIKOY said...

sad. :'c

hidden behind a screen of humor, but the sadness shows through.

this piece is beautiful

Neetee said...

Oh my! This is an amazing piece. With all that we are left with when that special person is gone, you have put it so beautifully in words that cut to the heart.
Monday through Sunday passers
were glad to see you, but
they have eternity
we just have today.
This is the most touching and intelligent line.

What a wonderful dedication.
Thank you for sharing with us.

I'm sorry for your lose.

steve said...

At a time when many
really don't know what to say,
you've put a heart into words
that somehow smile and cry at the same time...no dying on Thursdays. Sorry for your loss, Pat.

Pris said...

Oh Pat...beautifully written.

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

This brought back so vividley the roller-coaster of emotions all present in grief-so very sorry

whitney said...

You played the humor well to point directly to the real pain of this one.
Beautiful.

Fragmented said...

my condolences pat... I shall include her in my prayers.

(nice poem, btw)=)

Unknown said...

This is sad, but also joyful, as memories can be. Beautiful poignancy.

Kai said...

very sad

Nicole Braganza said...

Thats a powerful piece. My sincere condolences...

Neoma said...

I guess there just is no convenient time to die. So maybe we shouldn't, die.......take a memo, no dying......until your work is ALL done.

We just have today.....says it all.

Anonymous said...

I believe Terry would have liked this tribute...Beautiful, Dad.

MB said...

Oh.

Well done.

Elena Horowitz-Brookes said...

Oh Pat, this is so sad. I've been meaning to call my older first cousin and keep putting it off. You've just given me a good kick in the... This is a really heart felt piece and before I got to the end, I knew it was someone very close to you. If your cousin is listening out there, he must be beaming with pride for the great tribute his little cous has just given to him.

Unknown said...

Absolutely love this poem.
The total unacceptablity of dying on a Thursday was never put so well.