Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Bye Bye Bill, My Baby Brother Bye Bye (after W.H.Auden's Funeral Blues)

Stop all the noise, the reality shows, and junk TV
Make quiet talk radio, and all other sounds that get to me
Hush all traffic and marching bands, especially hush the piper too
And give me peace, and time, and space, to think of what it is I need to do

Let the birds fly far overhead but let them fly in silence now
Cause the clouds to darken and let the sun not shine, nor remember how
Dress the deer, moose and wolves in shades of dullest grey and black
Tell all who knew of you, that you will not be coming back

You were my baby brother once, still are, so now you see
It strikes me as cruel and unfair that you go on and without me
For there was a time,  we were as close as heart to beat and blood to vein
I thought I had forever; I was wrong, I’ll not see you again

The aurora, she will not dance for me nor, I find,  do I want her to
So close those shimmery drapes, I’ll call the moon up for you
Drain the lakes of all the diamond waves and close fast the night
Leave Luna alone with me to grieve and shut all else from my sight

S.E.Ingraham
(in memory of W.J.Hislop 1953-2010)

10 comments:

  1. Lovely tribute, and woderful poetry, may his memory live forever.

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  2. wow, Sharon... I can't believe it's already been two years.. it seems like yesterday. And in March it will be four years since my friend's death. Amazing. I especially like the last verse in this poem.

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  3. Doubly thanks to Auden, for writing his own wonderful piece in the first place and then inspiring yours. Your love and grief are palpable, beautifully expressed. He was too young to go — why would you not think you had forever? What we have is poetry, which is always some help. xx

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  4. So sad, and raw. I can relate, having also lost a brother in 2011.

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  5. Emotive, effective, good flow - this read exceptionally well.

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  6. Thank you all for coming here, reading this tribute to my brother and making your comments - I loved reading what you had to say and loved that you both read and wrote. Thanks so much again.

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  7. Oh this is so beautiful, sad and poignant. A write steeped in emotion.

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  8. Sharon, I cant find an email address for you.......would you please email me at WildWoman2@shaw.ca ? Thanks, kiddo.

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