Saturday in CinCity

My Dead Friends


by Marie Howe



I have begun,

when I'm weary and can't decide an answer to a bewildering question



to ask my dead friends for their opinion

and the answer is often immediate and clear.



Should I take the job? Move to the city? Should I try to conceive a child

in my middle age?



They stand in unison shaking their heads and smiling—whatever leads

to joy, they always answer,



to more life and less worry. I look into the vase where Billy's ashes were —

it's green in there, a green vase,



and I ask Billy if I should return the difficult phone call, and he says, yes.

Billy's already gone through the frightening door,



whatever he says I'll do.



Comments

  1. The opening lines of this song seem pertinent in relation to the poem...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzwljcQ5_Ps&feature=related

    And if you are enjoying Into the Silence, about Everest, you may also enjoy Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, if you haven't read it already.

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    Replies
    1. Darn it...I can't pull up this video. I'll try Into Thin Air--I believe Hubby read it. Right now I'm obsessed with WWI and reading the Everest book due to that connection. Also have Amazoned The Beauty and the Sorrow. I've been "Downtonized." :>) Thanks so much for continuing to stop by; I really appreciate it.

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  2. More life and less worry...sounds good to me...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm sure you miss your friend's wise words.

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  4. "whatever leads to joy"

    Good advice. I need to remember that as I go through my days. Lovely poem, btw.

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Hey, thanks for your thoughts and your time:>)

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