Death Poem

Death Poem
by Michael Grover
We are born then we die
We have funerals & memorials
So our friends may remember one last time
Oh I remember
I remember Scott
Who was so generous
He wanted to give me his book
Instead of letting me pay for it
I remember Mike
Who just mailed me his
Along with an old chapbook
I remember that I feel
Like I never made peace with Brian
Every day I remember that
Since the day he died
I remember Brian
An out of work actor
In the telemarketing office
That I worked at in Hollywood
He was crazy
Acted like a robot all the time
He was an ex-junky
Overdosed his first trip back
I remember John Long
That I went to elementary school with
He took a swim in the canal
In the back of the school
& became a gator’s dinner
I remember when reverend Ross
Told me my grandfather was dead
& the only reaction I could muster was a laugh
I remember Brandon my skinhead friend
Called me & asked me to go to a party with them
The same party Wes died in a car accident on the way to
I still don’t know why I said no
I remember my grandmother Ceitha
Two days before she died
She was so jonesing for caffeine
When I walked in with a mountain dew
She went crazy for it
& I felt so bad I gave it to her
But she couldn’t get it through
The tubes in her mouth
So she handed it back to me
I remember my grandma Mary
Months before she died
She wanted me to brush her hair
Maybe it made her feel pretty
I remember Rane who was
The best damn Poet in Toledo
Few people knew who he was
I remember & I try my best
To honor the dead
Live with fond memories
Live with their words
Life sucks all of the sudden
Good memories are hard to come by