ALL SOUL'S DAY
also known as
The Day of the Dead
( W. H. Auden )
STOP ALL THE CLOCKS, CUT OFF THE TELEPHONE,
PREVENT THE DOG FROM BARKING WITH A JUICY BONE,
SILENCE THE PIANOS, AND WITH MUFFLED DRUM
BRING OUT THE COFFIN, LET THE MOURNERS C OME.
LET AEROPLANES CIRCLE MOANING OVERHEAD
SCRIBBLING ON THE SKY THE MESSAGE HE IS DEAD,
PUT CREPE BOWS ROUND THE WHITE NECKS OF THE PUBLIC DOVES,
LET THE TRAFFIC POLICEMEN WEAR WHITE COTTON GLOVES.
HE WAS MY NORTH, MY SOUTH, MY EAST AND WEST
MY WORKING WEEK, MY SUNDAY REST,
MY NOON, MY MIDNIGHT, MY TALK, MY SONG;
I THOUGHT THAT LOVE WOULD LAST FOR EVER: I WAS WRONG.
THE STARS ARE NOT WANTED NOW: PUT OUT EVERY ONE;
PACK UP THE MOON AND DISMANTLE THE SUN;
POUR AWAY THE OCEAN AND SWEEP UP THE WOOD
FOR NOTHING NOW CAN EVER COME TO ANY GOOD.
( Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden )
We are all here by the sea
making alters
for our annual Day of the Dead celebration...
Just as the sun is setting
we head up the hill with food and drink and alters.
It looks like this when you glance over your shoulder...
magnificent pacific.
One can't believe
one's neighbours can draw and paint
like this...
so beautiful
the efforts of everyone.
Then there is music
and dancing
and lots of howling for those who have left
and costumes
but most of all the alters,
and the love and care in which each person is remembered...
even dear lou was there.
