Some Grave Goods Poem by Sheena Blackhall

Three cigars were the modest grave goods of comic George Burns
Three of his favourite brands pressed into his breast pocket.

A whistle was Humphrey Bogart's choice for eternal partner
A whale tooth crossed into death with President John. F. Kennedy

The master escapologist/ magician Harry Houdini,
Rests with his head on a pillow of his mother's loving letters

Tony Curtis took a baggage load of goods into the grave
A Stetson, an iPhone, seven packets of Splenda sweetener,
His grandson Nicholas's baby shoes,
His Navy medals, a novel driving gloves
A yarmulke from a Budapest synagogue
The ashes of Jack, his dog…
A modern day Tutankhamun
He was wearing his white shorts, his favourite white sweater,
An Armani scarf, his sleeping eye-covers
In his coffin moreover was a travelling bag of photos and letters,
A model of his 25th-anniversary Trans-Am,
A patch from Hungary, gold coins,
Two of his watches, stones he had collected
(Some from the grave of his friend Dodi Fayed) ,
A DVD of clips from a film he liked
Sunglasses, a single Percocet tablet,
Paintbrushes, paints, sketchpads and a pen
Perhaps for signing autographs to Angels?

William Burroughs took a loaded revolver with him
A sword cane, a fedora and a joint

Sophie Dahl said her grandfather Roald's burial
Was like a Viking funeral,
He crossed over along with his HB pencils, a
A power saw, a bottle of burgundy,
snooker cues and chocolate
As befitting a man with Norse blood red in his veins