by John Grey
I still return for the wakes, naturally.
Death can’t keep me away.
I went back last summer
for the funeral of an uncle,
a brother of my late father,
the last of that line actually. :
The last who saw action in a war.
The last who wore a hat and a tie clip to work.
He. quit school after grade 10
and went to work in the customs office.
I figured all those dirty books I longed to read
were stopped from entering the country by him personally.
My mother said, he was just a pencil pusher.
I still prefer my theory.
And yes, I put in an appearance at weddings also.
Bride’s a second cousin, groom’s my nephew –
if family needs me, I’m already on way. ‘
A flight or a long car ride, one night in my old bedroom,
and then the journey in reverse –
my obligations come with their own Triptik.
My sincerest congratulations and my deepest sympathies –
that’s all I need to pack. .
[More poems by John Grey]
[Check out John’s backporch wisdom here]
