I lost a friend today
Long-haired vintage woman
I skimmed the local paper as I often do
Searching for centenarians
And strangers’ tragic accidents
People born the same day
Sharing my name
But there she was
Her parents had picked a numinous phrase
Something brief along the lines of
She’s in a better place now
She’d hate them for it
The better place was an unadorned urn
A domicile on someone’s shelf
Her avenaceous ashes mixed with cardboard
And other people’s bits
She once told me she fancied a burial
Stargazing with rotten eyeballs in olive soil
With shoes on
Preferable to the thought of being burnt
Your flesh shrivelled up
Teeth exposed
Roasted
Like the victims on CSI
Some approached me and said
At least she’s not suffering anymore
Except, no brain in slumberland
Expect to see her again one day
Accept this is final
They proceeded to apologize
When all I wanted to hear was:
FUCK!