I saw you before
You were “presentable”
White chest hair, almost clear
Open mouth, broken tooth
Eyes at half-mast
Like Kennedy’s pictures
Called in the night
To identify your body
“Is this your father?”
Yes and no
Different, older,
Vessel only
Already two hours
Since your death
Livor mortis begun
Bright exam room
Chrome table
Body bag ready, red carpetbag
Ski duffel, one torn strap
One boot
Rush me out
Send me home
So they could take you away
And make you presentable
For viewing
Remembered now
Like yesterday
Years later
1/1/04 21:40 – 22:00 – See page 139 of tuesdays with Morrie
(Raymond A. Foss)
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Based on Topics: Night Poems, Fathers Poems, Hair PoemsBased on Keywords: bag, vessel, tooth, viewing, boot, half-mast, strap, identify, chrome, ski, kennedy