Kit Kelen #1122 - he passed / she passed (paint it black you devil)

1122

he passed/she passed

funereal mutterings

(but not for mine, please)

so solemn said

with air of dread

‘he passed/she passed’

they could have been just anyone

and were

and now they’re gone

a feast it was

and now they forever fast

this unknown Jill, this John –

sage sorry nod to say

he passed/she passed

what post (?)

I ask

ashes to ashes

and it’s a bust

in certain aches

you get an inkling

of bucket kick penalty

daisy upsy push

the six foot trip

(and don’t forget the ferryman’s tip)

‘Elysium’, my ticket says

with asphodel for extra

because I had a plan and plot

to be the somewhere now I’m not

(all Real Estate is speculation)

‘avast!’ your hellish demon says

to tell how deep the pit

and even here there’s one word missed –

can you think of it?

after a lifetime of idle larks

and little application

(I’m reading this off the report card now)

nevertheless

you passed?

oh joy!

then blessed is best

or down you go

you fool

you could have, at the last, confessed

or on the other hand

‘you gotta get hot to play real cool’

now no more wake-up calls

hello?

you get a well earned rest

who was it and the quick?

to a better place

above? below?

scribble my tombstone

so everyone knows

life was a blast

and now…

I passed!

then here’s a glory bask

cut flowers

weep but a little

in Teary Vale

think of me now beyond the pale

existence was a merry jest

here’s the old punchline

so fly the flag half mast

and over the mortal bits mutter –

‘he passed/she passed’

so they could read the will at last

and divvy up among the cast

but can we be so sure

they’ve passed?

and given up the ghost

been issued each with harp

and joined in heaven’s host?

could there be a come-back with Lazarus tricks

and even in the gloaming still hit the ball for six?

or else return as your low opinion?

(though angels soar up on their pinions)

no pulse, so prudently we say

he passed/she passed

get over it

towards the end

the voice, mere rasp

now his/her suffering is past

that bullet had some name on it

a tissue and we all fall down

or else your number’s up

you passed

(and this is the final inspection)

but actually it’s the whole of the class

up on the podium

the ghoulish principal beams over them

(more age has wearied her or him)

someone wore the black cloth cap

though there was no crime

and here’s the reaper

set to plague

or else it’s Old Man Time

them what a lovely coffin fit!

and that’s the way to go

we’re all off now for the Isles of the Blessed

no traveller returns

life must have really been a test

I say this out of superstition

wishful thinking too

he passed/she passed

posit an elsewhere

and all believe

throw away the crutches, sticks

out of that chair

and fly at them

come in, spinner!

no lying down with the lion now

it won’t matter how much of a glutton

at this late stage, we’re all mutton

last sprint through the ribbon

everyone’s a winner

how glorious to have passed

and made it!

it might have been half full before

but surely this is the empty glass?

those results

(and soon enough there’ll be no paper)

none of us ever get to read

or ever feel this unnameable state

(there, that must be the upside)

then

good night

sweet prince

sweet princess

the rest of us clean up

your mess – all bling

while flights of angels sing

and euphemize in time –

in a minor key

in duple meter

simply –

he passed/she passed

of all the weasel words for it

this one the most half arsed