Friday, January 25, 2019

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

2 comments:

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    Replies

    1. paint it
      how you like
      you're right
      it's pretty weak
      the passing

      Delete

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