I Buried My Brother Today

Technically speaking, these are intended more as song lyrics. But then, aren't lyrics supposed to be poetic?

I buried my brother today
in a quaint little cemetery
on the edge of town
I buried my brother today
complete with the archetypal sermon
and the family gathered ‘round
some of whom came in
from way out of town
though I doubt any of them
really knew the man
we came here to put in the ground

I buried my brother today
six feet under
is where he now rests his head
I buried my brother today
it’s still hard to grasp
that he is really dead
why couldn’t have it just
have been me instead?

I have fond childhood memories
of time when we were bother so carefree
the good ol’ days, no doubt
days I’ll now have to do without

I buried my brother today
it has come to pass
my greatest fear
I buried my brother today
and he will eternally missed
that much is clear
and now I bid ado to
my brother, my friend, my dear

Now the only thing left
for me to do
when I get home tonight
is to hope and pray
that Vera Lynn is right

Author's Note

Thoughts?

Reviews

[Colin Hough]

Very poetic. Sometimes I feel the lyrics of songs are lost in the drone of music. Strip away the melody and that really separates the men from the boys... Joni Mitchell springs to mind.

Lovely piece of work. Painful to read, but that's as it should be. And I know who Vera Lynn is. I've met her.

[Donni]

"I buried my brother today
in a quaint little cemetery
on the edge of town
I buried my brother today
complete with the archetypal sermon
and the family gathered 'round
some of whom came in
from way out of town
though I doubt any of them
really knew the man
we came here to put in the ground"

This is by far the strongest of the poem, I like the rest, but I really, really like this. Then I like the last line and the reference to Vera Lynn. "We'll meet again....la la la la la" now I'll have that song running round in my head. Well done.

[A]

So sad! I can relate to every line in this poem. (Except I don't know who Vera Lynn is.) But this was very well writen and I get a clear sense of your emotions. Great poem :)

[StoryTailor]

I like it. Although I have one issue ... who is Vera Lynn? I don't believe she was mentioned in the poem other than in the last line. But out of consideration you need to know that there are people like me who've lived in a separate dimension all they're life and don't know who that is.