It Takes A Woman


There’s a whole lot of noise in final.
The grim reaper has my bones
betting on rattles and dust
while my flesh still fantasizes
about a heartbeat.

Grim stands in the corner
dressed in a black cape and
broken tooth smile looking more
like a cousin to a jack o’ lantern
than the epitome of fearful.
He’s so eager to collect a shell
he can’t see the pearl in the satin lined box.

He is pepper spraying the room with so many tears
conversations can’t rally long enough to funnel stories
about my crazy into belly laughs loud enough
to offend proper etiquette.

If death were a woman, she’d introduce herself,
clear the room of morbid, light a lavender scented candle,
and edit my sins with just enough truth
to smooth the wrinkles in my obituary.

She would borrow a bit of my sense of humor,
uncork my favorite wine, invite visitors to enjoy
the dessert buffet with a satirical one liner,
“Death goes better with chocolate.”

Lady Death would pull up a chair next
to my guilt bought over priced crate, lean down
to whisper, “I thought you wanted to burn?”
and we’d create a list of those I wanted to haunt.

 ©Susie Clevenger 2016










Comments

Sherry Blue Sky said…
I like this description of Lady Death. Beats the Grim Reaper by a country mile. Smiles.
Gillena Cox said…
"If death were a woman, she’d introduce herself,
clear the room of morbid, light a lavender scented candle,
and edit my sins with just enough truth
to smooth the wrinkles in my obituary."

luv this verse a lot

much love...
Stacie Eirich said…
I love when she enters with both light and scent (lavender happens to be my fave), then has a conversation with you like a friend, with laughter -- a lovely mix of creepy and touching, haunting yet wistful (almost wrote wishful..) :-) Thanks for sharing.
Kerry O'Connor said…
Sounds like quite a lady! I especially like the wording and idea expressed in the third to last stanza. Such a wise attitude towards death.
Anonymous said…
Well, this is a fine gem! You've added a woman's touch and sense of humor to death
Anonymous said…
Wonderfully painted new view point (maybe a secret)
said…
This is crazy-kick-ass-awesome, girl.
kaykuala said…
and edit my sins with just enough truth
to smooth the wrinkles in my obituary

It will do a good job to give time to go through life's experience in a nutshell. It will take a good picture to present a good side of what had been! Great lines Susie!

Hank
Jim said…
I'too will take lady death any day over the grim reaper. Cross my fingers, say a prayer. One of the others posting this week also wrote that she would come with chocolate, with wine. Wine and chocolate. I hope I feel good enough for those.
Fun reading, Susie, about serious stuff.
..
Anonymous said…
Oh my God, this, THIS, was wonderful. So quick-witted and brilliant I friggin love it!!!
Amy
grapeling said…
like that list. cool prompt, Susie ~
brudberg said…
Oh I do love the possibility to haunt.. I will keep a list of that... and yes some chocolate too.
Fireblossom said…
This is your best poem ever.
Jim said…
Thank you for coming today for my other "if Death were a Lady" prompt poem.
I did go to a funeral with wine, and more. I can't remember if there were chocolates. I answered your prompt in part:
"Susie, I went to a 'Funeral' like that, it was called a Life Celebration (I think). Her family and husband had it for us, they lived in Bayshore, Bayshore Drive on Galveston Bay. We had LOTS of wine, and food, a preacher came, we even had fireworks over the water at dusk."
..
This is just wonderful- how enchanting Death seems. And remarkably approachable.