PART THREE OF A FUNERAL TRILOGY

AFTER

and 
after
it
was
kind of beautiful
to
breath air again
after
the
held
breath
and
production line dignity
in
the
any-denomination-or-not parlour

and 
it
was
kind of beautiful
to 
see 
grandad as smoke
rising
in
a
surprise snowfall

it
didnt
settle
tho

like we had to




OTHER GRANDFATHER

and
as
stiff english lips
lost their starch
and
started
their
flapping

my
other grandfather

big as a tobacco bear

uninvited
and
unexpected

lumbered
over
from
the
carpark

it felt like a storm
that wouldnt break

and he asked me
for the first 
and last time

if i was ok

pic from compassionatefunerals.co.uk