Monday, September 19, 2016

Poem - How Can It Be That My Mighty One Has Died?

How Can It Be That My Mighty One Has Died?
Lesson #1 in Lamenting for the Loved.

By King David ben Jesse, of Bethlehem: Instructor

By royal order: everyone must memorize this lament
For use when someone or anyone, (like my dear friend Jonathan),
who was much beloved, dies.
2 Samuel 19-27

Poetic Paraphrase Adapted for Any Grief in Death
 by O. Kris Widmer
September 19, 2016 – For Tauni Pigott and Family

My glorious one is dead.
Take notice! Please?
Stop the world, for just a little while!
Come, and mourn with me!
My world is turned upside down for the time being.

How is it possible that this one…
my mighty one has died!?
Keep it out of social media.
Don’t print it in the papers.
Lest those very few that held grudge against them
Should say “Ha!  Good riddance! 
We’re better off without them!”

I curse what caused their death!
I curse where and why they died!




My beloved one –
My pet, my Grammie, my Papa,
My classmate, my mentor, my teacher,
My auntie, my uncle, my sister, my brother,
My boss, my neighbor, my colleague, my partner,
My parent, my child, my cousin, my grandchild,
My best friend,
My spouse and lover [1]
is gone.

How is it possible that this one…
my mighty one
my precious one
my beloved one
has died!?

They were so greatly loved and admired in life.
Now in death, I can’t let go of my affection for them!
I will never let go of that!
It’s a good thing I don’t have to either!

They were the best!
Oh, how I loved them!
Oh, how they loved me!

Their laugh.
Their smile.
Their twinkling eyes.
Their personality.
Their friendship.
Their talents.
Their skills
They were wonderful!

Life was wonderful…because they were here!
Now they are gone!
How is it possible that this one…
my mighty one has died!?

They are simply not replaceable!
They were unique.
One of a kind.
Special and Spectacular!

So everyone –
         all who loved them;
         and all whom they loved;
         (You know who you are!)
Stop…and weep.
They are gone now!

I saw them breathe their last.
I saw the mortician take away their body.
I saw them in the casket.
I saw an urn with their name on it.
I was at the interment, the inurnment.
I saw their headstone, their plaque.

I grieve for you…my glorious one!

You were very, very, very, very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful.
My love for you was wonderful too.

I’m so glad I had you for as long as I did.
But it was much too short.
And now…you are not here.

There will be no more
         trips to the store together.
         cookie baking together
         ballgames together.
         prayers together.
         phone chats together
         kisses together.
         hugs together.
         making love together
        
There will be no more together.
At least for now.

I am here.
You are not.
You are gone.

How is it possible that this one…
my mighty one,
my glorious one,
my wonderful one,
has died!?

What am I going to do now?



[1] I wrote this list a possible order of grief experiences in life.  The first funeral I planned was for a gold fish.  The next I attended was for a grandparent. Etc.

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