Walking Through Lafayette Cemetery (I Now Lay Dead) Poem by Randy McClave

No matter what I have said
Or even what I have done,
No matter the victories that I have won;
I now lay dead.

No matter the books that I have read
No matter the words that I have written,
Even the times that I've been smitten;
I now lay dead.

No matter of my worries or of my dread
No matter of what I have seen or where I've gone,
Even when I said, I will keep going on;
I now lay dead.

No matter that I've tasted the finest cheeses and bread
No matter in my hand I held the finest bouquet of wine,
Remembering with King's I once did dine;
I now lay dead.

No matter the life that I had led
No matter when I helped the poor and the sad,
Even if I was hated and I made others mad;
I now lay dead.

No matter if I had dreamed of years ahead
No matter my plans for a tomorrow,
Waiting to greet it with smiles and no sorrow;
I now lay dead.

No matter the thickness of the thread
No matter the age or wear on the headstone,
The epitaph is written I am all alone;
I now lay dead

Destiny now leads me to my final bed
As my soul finally and reluctantly grieves,
Someone else will now rake the leaves;
I now lay dead.

Randy L. McClave