The Waiting Room Poem by Joe Fraccalvieri

Everyone I ever met sat waiting-- in that room…
Teachers, students--
those who worked at all my schools
Even grocers, panhandlers, wise men and fools--

Singers, dancers, artists and actors that I knew…
All the people who were in my life
were waiting there together--
as though it were a human zoo

And why they all were waiting there,
I didn't have a clue
I watched them for a while…
Some looked back with a smile

My curiosity grew… Was this some sort of a trial? !

After a time, I recognized a common thread--
it appeared that all these people--
each one of whom-- were dead!

And they were there to let me know
that even though they were dead--
they were living there instead