Rural Ceremony Poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

rural ceremonial

open casket
his face was covered in a silk cloth
I removed it he looked grumpy
this was not the outcome he had wanted
I replaced the cloth
sat down thinking if it moved
it meant he was breathing a ghastly mistake
I concentrated hard, but I´m not Jesus
can not decide between life and death
my faith was not strong enough.
I looked at the mourners; they had the expressions
of deep sorrow
although some looked at their wristwatches
they had other things to do like taken the cows
in for milking at five o´clock.
Cattle wait for no one
the padre came he had gravy spots on his white robe
I thought here is a man in need of a housekeeper.
The padre nearsighted blessed everyone
we watched as the casket was lowered into the ground
an ocean of flowers
why was I here I didn´t know was asked to go
to make up the crowd of mourners.
I shook hands with many and murmured words
of comfort in times like this words are not needed.
Profoundly dismayed I drove home
wondering what life was for,
the dog was waiting it was hungry, and no walks today
a program on TV I want to see.