Burying Friends Poem by Kenneth Slessor

Burying Friends

Rating: 3.6


BURYING friends is not a pomp,
Not, indeed, Roman:
Lacking the monument,
Heroic stone;
Nor is it an obscuring parasol,
The pad of customary gloves and cries
And a black leather mourning-carriage
Hung between death and the beholder's eyes.
This little bin of cancelled flesh
Strode the earth once,
Rubbed against men—
But that's all done.
A gentle elegy, a tear or two,
May charm the grave-diggers, no doubt,
But nothing can count to these incongrous ruins.
Their commercial value is not worth speaking about.
Only it seems not a burial
Of irrelevant sods,
But a lopped member
From this my body;
Almost, in fact, a tiny amputation,
A paring of biography, thrown in there.
And he has thieved his own life away
And something from mine. Farewell, thou pilferer!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
_____ 06 June 2019

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0 1 Reply
MAHTAB BANGALEE 10 February 2024

he has thieved his own life away And something from mine. Farewell, thou pilferer! ~ indeed lovely poem

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 10 February 2024

5 Stars for this profound poem, CONGRATS on being chosen by Poem Hunter and Team as The Modern Poem Of The Day!

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 10 February 2024

This poem poignantly explores themes of loss, anonymity, impermanence, and the profound impact of death on both the living and the departed. Slessor's skillful use of language and imagery invites readers to contemplate the complexities of mortality and memory.

0 0 Reply
MAHTAB BANGALEE 09 February 2023

Their commercial value is not worth speaking about. Only it seems not a burial Of irrelevant sods, But a lopped member From this my body; ~ great poetic expression

0 0 Reply
Mac Che 08 February 2023

From this body the grave will be displayed

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Kenneth Slessor

Kenneth Slessor

Orange, New South Wales
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