If, some day, you should find me, cold and stark –
If you should stumble o’er my lifeless clay
In some still thoroughfare or public park
And sadly say:
“Alack, and had he lived, as like as not
He’d reigned with Bent!” I should not care a jot.
If I should die in some by-way obscure,
And you should come across my silent corse
In its last sleep, my spirit would – be sure –
Know no remorse.
‘Twere better that I thus had ceased to live
If life with Bent were the alternative.
I say, if I should die, and all alone;
And, dying thus, escape the wiles of Bent;
O’er my remains I’d have you make no moan,
Nor yet lament.
But let relief be mingled with your woe;
And murmur o’er my clay, “‘Twere better so.”
Nay, if you came, as in my bier I lay,
And sald, “Who knows? If this had not occurred” –
I should arise in my grave-clothes and say,
“Don’t be absurd!”
And, being safely out of Tommy’s reach,
I’d probably get out and make a speech.
I’d tell you, “Better have a monument
Above my head and, coffined, lie at rest
Than live in some Cabinet with Bent
Upon my chest.”
And, having said all that was to he said,
I should continue being very dead.
(C J Dennis)
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Based on Topics: Death & Dying Poems, Sleep Poems, Speech PoemsBased on Keywords: thoroughfare, grave-clothes, alternative, by-way, coffined