Life and Death

Today I led a celebration of life for a 93 year old woman, long-time member of the church where I am pastor. It was the fourth funeral/memorial service I have led since Christmas and I will lead another one on Saturday.

I often use poetry during my reflections at these services. I try to find a poem with a distinct metaphor that helps me look at the person whose life story is in my hands for those few minutes.

Lacking time for much other creative writing right now, I thought I would share two poems about death and dying that I find very meaningful.

Otherwise Jane Kenyon (from her book Constance)

I got out of bed
on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.
I took the dog uphill
to the birch wood.
All morning I did
the work I love.

At noon I lay down
with my mate. It might
have been otherwise.
We ate dinner together
at a table with silver
candlesticks. It might
have been otherwise.
I slept in a bed
in a room with paintings
on the walls, and
planned another day
just like this day.
But one day, I know,
it will be otherwise.




Late Fragment Raymond Carver (included in the wonderful anthology Beloved on the Earth: 150 poems of grief and gratitude, published by Holy Cow! Press)

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.


With Faith and With Feathers,

David