Wit of the Grave Digger

Universal wit of the ones that dig our graves.

From all nations of all time,

A wit, arcane, fills each one.

The men shovel stones and run,

The earth inside with rock lime.

 

At life's closing each corpse parts,

With the knowledge of closed eyes.

The face wrinkled with love and lies,

Each line endows the ways and arts,

 

Of Death's mystic well worn path,

Of which ev'ry man will take.

The grave digger for his  sake,

Learns the lesson which he hath,

 

The oath solemn at first sworn.

To put inside the wood box,

The hills around act as locks,

There in secret, hides his scorn,

 

With the deceased; they won't talk,

For all quiet days won't speak,

While all fluids through pores leak,

There they cannot rise to walk.

 

In death secrets are well kept,

This the knowledge they all know,

No man living lets trust go,

Til the list'ner has long slept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

Fixed the slight mistake in the second to last stanza and now I think it's good to go.

Reviews

[Janice Ann]

No don't change a thing! From beginning to end I couldn't stop reading the words in front of me!
"At life's closing each corpse parts,
With the knowledge of closed eyes.
The face wrinkled with love and lies,
Each line endows the ways and arts,"

Come on seriously awesome wording. Rocking read! Thanks for sharing!

[Thea Fuentebella]

wow. i felt like i was reading a poem by some famous old poet. very clever and filled with wisdom. uncanny. beautiful in fact, this masterpiece is TIMELESS. i loved every part of it! bravo my friend!

[Celeste21]

the hills around acts as locks... in death secrets are well kept. Those words stood out to me and this piece they are hauntingly truthful ...

[Shellie]

I think the title put it off, i was expecting a little 'wit' from the gravedigger but when i got to the poem and read it all through i dont think it needs changing at all. the last stanzas such an excellent ending. It was just the title that didnt go

[Julie Deshtor]

I really like the concept and the message. I think it could use some edge, something more personal, in-the-now. Perhaps consider placing the reader in the moment by placing them into the scene. Ex:
"At life's closing you part,
With the knowledge of your closed eyes.
Your face wrinkled with love and lies,
Each line endows the ways and arts" - second person,

or another option is to make it present tense at some point:

"Breathe in the silence; they won't talk,
Days go on and no one speaks"


Please, ignore my line-edits, they are just examples. It is your poem of course, and ultimately your call. But it may be a little more effective, hit the reader a bit harder if you make them live it, feel it.

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

Of Death's mystic well worn path,
Of which ev'ry man will take.
The grave digger for his sake,
Learns the lesson which he hath,

pure excellence........

[Poetic Beauty]

I like the last stanza most of all. The dead keep the best secrets.

[Erinne S.]

This was great how it was. Actually brought me to tears only because I just recently buried a dear friend of mine.

Great piece!

[Hayley]

Wow. I think that you could possibly add more detail to the grave digging, but if you don't it is still very powerful and amazing as it is. Each stanza offers something new to think about, and is very well written. I enjoyed reading this very much