After A Funeral Poem by Jenny Kalahar

After A Funeral

Rating: 4.6


I missed it all
The whole darned thing is over and done
I had sat there in the front row, facing the simple coffin
And I let it go and pass and end
He is now forever under the lid and under sod
Not even God would return him

And I let it all go
I wasn't really there
I sat for eulogy and stood for prayer
Sang when prompted
Followed the schedule and shook the hands and hugged the tearful

My ears were full of organ music, even when the room had quieted
His favorite songs played and replayed for me
When others, I suppose
were concentrating on those sad or funny stories
Or wondering about the food they could smell from the church basement

I sat and thought about things, but not funeral things
Not about being watched for my reactions
At the kind words said about a sweet person that I had loved so deeply
No, I missed it all
I missed it all

Now it's over and I'm sitting at my table
with cold coffee and wrapped leftovers
Alone because I had asked for time alone
I still won't let reality come
I'll try tomorrow or next week or just close my brain a bit
To march onward, Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With nothing to do on this planet right now -
Nothing to do but stay

Now, after the doorbell rang
You sit across the table with your own cooling coffee
Letting silence join us in the late afternoon

You loved him, too
So many did, so many do
You pull some papers from your purse
And, without asking, read to me the eulogy again
The one I couldn't hear hours ago
How did you know I'd missed it then?

This time I hear it, and, unlike before
it doesn't seem like a practiced speech
Instead, you connect my heart right back to him
Reminding me of his life
And I actually laugh
Actually cry
And then you're done and fold the sheets away
Not leaving the evidence on the table
Making me wonder if there had been things just said
That hadn't been originally

And now I know with friends like these
There is certainly something more to do today
More to do than simply stay

After A Funeral
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Topic(s) of this poem: death,friendship,funeral
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Mahtab Bangalee 02 May 2019

pure love always missing something greatly even on the funeral state! //// lovely poem

6 2 Reply
Jenny Kalahar 02 May 2019

Thank you! I appreciate your words! - Jenny

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Glen Kappy 02 May 2019

Jenny, this comes across as honest and lovely. Grieving is different for different people and friendship—just to be near and to sit with—comforting even if no words are said... Now that I’m introduced to you through this poem, I look forward to reading more of your poetry. -Glen

2 1 Reply
Jenny Kalahar 02 May 2019

Thank you so much, Glen! I hope this is a positive poem for those grieving. - Jenny

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Good poem. Congratulations on Member POD. TOP SCORE. Well deserved pod

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Kim Barney 19 August 2022

KI have read and commented on this before, and now I congratulate you for Member Poem of the Day!

0 0 Reply
Anil Kumar Panda 19 August 2022

Very beautifully inked about the void left and sad feeling of missing someone dear.

0 0 Reply
Kim Barney 26 October 2020

What a wonderful poem! So many of the same emotions that I have felt during and after funerals... Things are a little different now, with the pandemic: limited number of people allowed at the funeral, no hugging, etc.

1 0 Reply
Adrian Flett 02 May 2020

Thank you for a truly insightful poem.

1 0 Reply
Jenny Kalahar 03 May 2020

And thank you, Adrian! - Jenny

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