In Defense of Neglect ~ 2016 5 22

Create for me a world where though my father dies, I see him in repose.
Locate exact moment when we arrived at Mass too late to bear witness.
Open caskets once shut may not be reopened to pay our last respects.
Signs point to a hostile takeover by a stock broker who plays the role,
Erroneous, of course, of the loving brother, the sympathetic one.
Denied access to view the corpse of my father, we continue with Mass.

Create for me a world where we pay our respects, where we don't arrive late.
Arrive late as dad's car engine no longer worked, as it hadn't been used.
Sitting inside the car, inside the closed garage, we sat in a panic.
Kick myself in the rear for not waking early to check the car still runs.
Egrets fly, no regrets, Pam spoke with her sister, Diane, staying nearby.
Treasure the gift of chance, Diane drove us to church, stayed for ceremony.

Create for me a world where everything happens to show who really cares.
Ostrich feathers dust off years of family turmoil, scattering particles
Fine powder laid on thick requires dust cloth, water, a lifetime of effort.
Forget graduate school, we get a PhD for our dissertation
In family dysfunction, Alcohol 101 to Defense of Neglect.
Nail down the coffin boards, get the furnace ready, a death mask bears no fruit.