Jeffrey Hull

I lay there, looking really grand,
   Why, just as if I slept;
Of all the folks and friends at hand
   Scarce anybody wept.

They'd dolled me up in some dark suit
   That really wasn't me;
All gussied up, a smart old coot,
   To please my vanity.

The kin trooped in perfunct’r’ly
   To sniff, "How sad, you know!"
You would agree 'tween them and me
   This thing was quite a show.

The customary tears were shed
   And then came meet and greet
As if they'd laid out in my stead
   Some dressed-up slab of meat.

Some misbehaving younger lads
   Soon had their moms all riled,
And weren't much better for their dads —
   I swear I almost smiled.

I note that while most folks pretend
   To pay correct respect,
In sum, mine seemed a mundane end —
   Then, what did I expect?


© 2005 Jeffrey Hull