Cemetery Dreams (Haiku) Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

When you see robbers
behind each scrawny cedar
it's paranoia.

And when you fathom
that homocysteine is
out of the bible

and that a gangster
who fooled the Royal Mounties
describes the ovens

then it is time man
to hang your head and shudder
and take your valium.

The great Houdini
or was it someone smarter
said go and wait there

He meant the Boneyard
and that we could hang out there
await our turn.

But human beings
have never grasped the meaning
of death in earnest.

We are so clingy
and will not part with honour
because of envy.

Or are we jealous
do we begrudge the living
to view our passing?

Let's lean on marble
and close our tired eyes now.
Juniper bushes.