Lynn White

Only Joking

“It was just a joke”

you said

the night you came back,

a typical wind-up

that we should have known better

to believe.

Of course you weren’t dead!

It would take more than a few cigarettes

to extinguish your flame!

“Look”, you said,

“I’ll give you a hug”.

And you did,

a good solid one,

not spiritual

not virtual

but real.

So we all had a laugh

and a pint

and then you left

again.

First published in Bluepepper, May 1 2023

In Death

All that is solid

melts away

in death

consumed by fire 

or worms

transformed 

into so much dust.

Only memories remain.

And the spirit, 

of course.

So a wee shite in life

will have a mean ghost 

in death.

Mean-spirited in life,

mean-spirited 

in death.

And in memoriam.

First published in The Drabble, March 6 2022

On The Day Of The Dead

At last the party is over.

Friends and family are gone,

long gone in some cases,

though with us in spirit

earlier.

Now I’m the only one left

still dancing

all alone

until

the ravens came to join me

bringing with them more guests,

not only the souls of the dead

but the souls of those

we had taken care to exclude.

They’re with me now,

the souls of the damned

ready to join in the dance.

And they won’t let me leave.