The Gods announced my funeral <br />I was too shocked to shake. <br />Went on my knees and asked if I <br />could just attend the wake. <br /> <br />The answer was 'why do you ask? ' <br />they sent it down by lightning. <br />I took a sip from my small flask <br />and felt the black noose tight'ning. <br /> <br />I said 'I could just skip the show, <br />would make the coffin lighter', <br />though I expected a big No <br />I am no brave old fighter. <br /> <br />They questioned whether I could find <br />a proper substitute <br />to take my place, leave me behind, <br />the query was astute. <br /> <br />I made a man of barley straw <br />and placed him in the box, <br />dressed in my suit, not in the raw <br />gave him my dotted socks. <br /> <br />I ended up, how did they know <br />next to the man of straw <br />a little voice came, like a blow <br />'you broke the Lord's own law! ' <br /> <br />Well never mind, I did observe <br />the wake from my cloud ten, <br />the one that housed the men of nerve <br />we heard the speeches then. <br /> <br />Turned out the wake drew every friend <br />they drank my grapefruit wine. <br />You wonder if HE'd ever send <br />me back, would I decline? <br /> <br />St. Peter came, he made his rounds <br />he looked at me and said <br />'your time on these here, holy grounds <br />is only while you're dead'. <br /> <br />'I talked to God about the trick <br />you pulled and meant to sell, <br />if you don't pray you'll - in the nick <br />of time end up in Hell.'<br /><br />Herbert Nehrlich<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-wake/
