When I Leave Poem by Kenneth Oodee

WHEN I LEAVE

When I leave,
Don't come to my funeral crying
Or sobber yourself like you're dying
Those things would have mattered before
Nothing is worth it anymore

When I leave,
Don't ask God why? ?
Instead give thanks and wave me bye
For my work on earth is done
In Him, after death I'll reborn

When I leave,
Do not criticize or judge me
Condemn or speak ill of me
For your own time will come
And your actions, people will hum

When I leave,
Do not make my food a priority
Nor make my wine your anxiety
Don't turn my funeral to a gossip place
Or fight each other like a market place

When I leave,
Do not sleep like the law makers
Instead, dance with the undertakers
Let your movement have rhythm
For I was a rhymer

When I leave,
Do not fold your arms and watch things
Neither get upset by humans or things
Make comedies of our previous lives
For this is my final romance

When I leave,
Don't come without flowers
Neither leave with your flowers
Let the incense burn endlessly
For in these, I find death ravishingly

When I leave,
Do not crowd yourselves in cars
Driving round the city and towns
Disturbing the streets with cutlasses
And disturbing the peace of all houses


When I leave,
Do not gamble or libate
Or in my funeral, fornicate
Do not dress in all black
But in all white and bright

When I leave,
Free all the caged birds
Let them assemble on every tree
Let them tweet and chirp
Let them sing my dirge

When I leave,
Let poetry be read at every interval
So my soul will dangle like in revival
Take photos to caption every moment
And let my soul ascend with the trumpet

When I leave,
Let my departure reminds you to live right
Let it take your wisdom to another height
Appreciate life, strangers and loved ones
Cause truthfully, 'You Only Live Once'