Decorum
The whiskey gives you something
pleasant to do while waiting to die.
It's not that you have to wait to die,
but choosing the time yourself
is frowned upon by most polite society.
It simply isn't done. It's déclassé.
In every way, it's cheating someone.
Mostly God, among the Catholics,
but also family and loved ones,
even among the faithless and apostate.
And though the Reformation took
the sting out of excommunication,
withholding hallowed ground still matters to some
who want to send you off with ceremony.
So, have your whiskey like a good son.
Wait your turn as anyone true
to good breeding would do.
Though death may be your birthright,
the when is not a choice
the thoughtful make themselves
pleasant to do while waiting to die.
It's not that you have to wait to die,
but choosing the time yourself
is frowned upon by most polite society.
It simply isn't done. It's déclassé.
In every way, it's cheating someone.
Mostly God, among the Catholics,
but also family and loved ones,
even among the faithless and apostate.
And though the Reformation took
the sting out of excommunication,
withholding hallowed ground still matters to some
who want to send you off with ceremony.
So, have your whiskey like a good son.
Wait your turn as anyone true
to good breeding would do.
Though death may be your birthright,
the when is not a choice
the thoughtful make themselves
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Wow.*
Really gets in there.
Great piece Gary! *
Powerful poem. Well done!
*
Awed.*
Truly remarkable--"have your whiskey like a good son."!*
I'll drink to that. And I'll wait forever if necessary.
* for the thoughtfulness in this.
Good words to hear from very good writers. Thanks to all of you.
This is amazing, wrenching even. Love it.
Strong start. Strong concept. I guess strong everything. *
yes to this. awesome writing.
Thanks very much for the kind readings, Beate and Marcus.
I wish Maker's Mark was on my grocery list. They don't sell Maker's Mark at Wal-Mart, the bastards.
Good lawdy. Thought-provoking stuff.
Misti, Walmart never fails to disappoint. Thanks for reading this.
Thank you, Sally, for reading and commenting. I am grateful.
So.
Thanks, James. So many stories start with "So,".
powerful words, good work!
Thanks, Meg.
i like the ambiguity of this, the point it makes behind its back. and i've always wondered, myself, the difference in people's minds between self destructive behavior that leads to slow death, and suicide.
Thanks for the analysis, Tantra. I like it.
Very good *
Thank you, Robin.
Wow, Gary. Tough, important writing. I love that narrator doesn't hide. The question that is death is right there, staring a reader in the face. Really great.*
Thank you so much, Jen.
big ideas here. Life summed up. Brain. Heart. Groin. You got it all in this. Very bad ass.
*
Thank you, Bud. I miss the emails that we all used to get from Fictionaut. That's my explanation for the tardy reply.
This is a lovely poem, Gary. Truth, truth.
*
Your exploration of death in this is quite fascinating, because it is the most certain thing we know--that we will die. And that if we empower ourselves to decided upon the when, we're actually brave cowards (excuse the irony). The hero is the one that surrenders this decision to a higher force. *
Those last two lines are the kicker. Fine, deep writing.
Bravo for those last two lines.
Took me back to my days of drinking and reading books then sleeping twelve hours and getting up and doing it again until I got sleepy. There was something blissfully selfish about it and determined.