| The Honey Land Review Spring 2010 Volume 2, Issue 2 |
She thinks
of going to her own funeral
and thinks, if ever she must look upon her dead self,
must not do it mourning
her appearance,
regretting those last impressions.
She thinks
what shall I wear?
and what shall I do with my hair?
She feels inundated with details,
with loose ends and endless possibilities;
things to consider,
to decide upon and see to.
She thinks
wouldn’t it be awful to leave it all down to chance?
and she hates to think that,
lying stiff in the casket,
she could somehow be there more than in body.
She thinks
what if I must take part in this grief?
and what if I can hear all the whisperings
from the pews?;
her family, her friends and neighbours,
business associates
and all manner of acquaintances –
she thinks
what if they don’t all remark
“how beautiful she looks”?
or “could anyone but she have made
such a radiant corpse?”
of going to her own funeral
and thinks, if ever she must look upon her dead self,
must not do it mourning
her appearance,
regretting those last impressions.
She thinks
what shall I wear?
and what shall I do with my hair?
She feels inundated with details,
with loose ends and endless possibilities;
things to consider,
to decide upon and see to.
She thinks
wouldn’t it be awful to leave it all down to chance?
and she hates to think that,
lying stiff in the casket,
she could somehow be there more than in body.
She thinks
what if I must take part in this grief?
and what if I can hear all the whisperings
from the pews?;
her family, her friends and neighbours,
business associates
and all manner of acquaintances –
she thinks
what if they don’t all remark
“how beautiful she looks”?
or “could anyone but she have made
such a radiant corpse?”
| Thoughts of Going to Her Own Funeral Ed O'Dwyer |
Photo by Shayne Herrera
Edward O’Dwyer is from Limerick, Ireland, where he works as a secondary school teacher of English and
History. He is previously published in Poetry Ireland Review, THE SHOp, Southword, Crannóg, Revival, The
Stony Thursday Book, Boyne Berries, Five Words, Agenda (UK), Eleutheria – the Scottish Poetry Review (UK),
The Journal (UK), Tinteán (Australia), Danse Macabre (USA) and Census: the Seven Towers Anthology. His
work also features in the chapbook Revival Trio (Revival Press).
History. He is previously published in Poetry Ireland Review, THE SHOp, Southword, Crannóg, Revival, The
Stony Thursday Book, Boyne Berries, Five Words, Agenda (UK), Eleutheria – the Scottish Poetry Review (UK),
The Journal (UK), Tinteán (Australia), Danse Macabre (USA) and Census: the Seven Towers Anthology. His
work also features in the chapbook Revival Trio (Revival Press).
Copyright © 2010 The Honey Land Review All rights reserved.
All content contained within this site is protected by copyright laws.
Unauthorized use of graphics or literary material is strictly prohibited.
All content contained within this site is protected by copyright laws.
Unauthorized use of graphics or literary material is strictly prohibited.
| PREVIOUS |
| NEXT |