The Celebrant

She knew him not.

The celebrant did what they, the family, didn't, couldn't,
the congregation listened, nodded politely,
for as much as she earned her shilling
she didn't know the man now gone,
the real man, not her idea of him,
her take on the words provided by teary faced,
grief dumbstruck family members.
She spoke with clarity, with feigned sadness,
projecting so that those gathered at the rooms back,
the late comers and the fleet of foot,
(the latter more interested in a quick getaway
to a place where free food, a buffet, sits waiting,
suffocating beneath layers of cling film)
could hang off her every "day job" word.

When done, her crust earned,
and as a prelude to Frank crooning "my way"
and the closing of silently drawn curtains,
two grand daughters read, with haste,
a freshly penned grandad poem,
tripping over words, sentences,
struggling to rhyme irregular line lengths,
this having me think of critiques received,
"count consonants, aabb, abab, read aloud...."
perhaps an invite to the cafe be extended,
or perhaps not as imperfect fits well with the deceased
as it does with us all.

I join a queue, the meet and greet of family members,
"sorry for your loss" kiss, hug,
"sorry for your loss" kiss, hug, again and again and again,
this to the accompanying sound of screeching tyres,
the fleet footed on the move.
If I hurry, forgo "sorry for your loss" kiss, hug,
perhaps a sausage roll and sandwich,
even a biscuit and cake too
will have survived death by cling film
and the greedy, grabbing hands of the fleet footed vultures.

"sorry for your loss" kiss, hug,
or perhaps I'll grab a bag of chips on my way home..

Reviews

[emmajoygreen]

How very, very visual, Gee.. been to a few similar funerals.. found each more unlike the late darling than the previous. The way things are done, said, repeated words unrecognisable as references about the dear departable's maybe famed humour or wisdom or love of a pint of beer or footie or.. Even so, I smiled a smile or two - more than likely three... you have a slightly odd but endearing sense of situations.. as have in the distant past. That is what makes a would be poet into a real one.. and that you truly are
Now suggest the baptism of a diva baby or - the twenty first birthday of a woman who had such a good time when she was last twenty one, she..
You really know how to tell a story with finely described and honest words, sir..

[emmajoygreen]

For some reason I couldn't place all the words I wanted to say.. most importantly a quote of something you wrote, if I might add it (if techno allows it)
' ..as much as she earned her shilling
she didn't know the man now gone,
the real man, not her idea of him,
her take on the words provided by teary faced,
grief dumbstruck family members.
She spoke with clarity, with feigned sadness,'

How true that is, come across celebrants a few times in the recent past. Sadly the information received from grieving family members are not able to pass on smiling comments. Hard to describe humour or accuracy when weeping i-n and outside of a numb or over-emotional person. How true your words, Gee. (Had to type quickly, wanting to add that, hope makes sense 0 apologies,)

[Gee]

Good after EmmaJ. Thank you for ploughing through and commenting, very much appreciated.
Hope Sunday finds you happy, healthy and relaxed :)

[emmajoygreen]

Happy-ish, healthy - so so, relaxed - have visitors!

Apart of that, the dawn was welcome, the weather dry and am about to have a glass of red.
Take care of yourself. Hope you and your lovely ladies have a calm and smiling new week. :)

[Gee]

Ladies back from Kos Wednesday, have been mum and daughter holiday leaving me with pooch and ma in law whilst also tarting up a friends garden as a surprise whilst they are at the Isle of Wight festival, her husband is to lazy to bother and she deserves better:))
Might join you with a glass of Malbec.
Enjoy your company.
Take care

[Lorry]

We all end up the same way Gee, the one that still pays the bill when he's gone, listening to other reviewers saying the sausage rolls were limp and cool, at best. While people try and fail to hide their resting b***h face beneath a Liberal helping of open bar blues.
And we all know whose bag was clinking on the way out too! 😊
Hope you made the chippie before it shut.

[Gee]

Hi Lorry, thanks.
A good turn out for his send and a fair old "party" afterwards.

[willweb]

Now that was fun read and to imagine Frank singing n the background. Must've been one of grandpa's favorites. But the vision of those ready to hit the door running with thoughts of celery sticks and ranch dressing...sausage rolls (which got my mouth watering) and all of the other homemade, slightly squishy treats that most funerals invite. Oh and the poem...maybe not invite them here, no one would hear them here. This was picture perfect my friend.

[Gee]

Thanks for sticking with it to the end, appreciated Will