The Funeral

The Funeral

Let no one invite shame to my funeral

Let no cry go silenced

Let no laugh be controlled

Let no child be held hostage

Let no young become old

I want those who loved me most

To hold me in their hearts

And remember every horrible thing I ever said to them

I don't want them to ever forgive me

I want them to forgive themselves

For thinking I would want them to

I want every creature that knew my pulse

And felt my voice course through their ears

To look up at the sun

And laugh in my face

Laugh because I will never see it again

Laugh and marvel at this gift they received in my stead

Which I just barely missed

I want my children to celebrate

Everything that is made easier by my absence

I want every soul to revel

In the jokes they were always too afraid to tell

Let no one invite shame to my funeral

Throw shames' corpse into the grave beside me

And savor the wind which sweeps across my memory

Give my bones to the trees, and sing my song to their leaves

I have taken life unapologetically

And someday I must give her back

Let no one mourn the life I was meant to live

Let no one lament the gifts I was meant to give

I will dispense no apologies

And that is why you owe me nothing

Nothing but an honest memory