‘Tis an Apt Metaphor for a Mourner

‘Tis an apt metaphor for a mourner On a plane flying up in the sky Suspended in the air, way up high, way up there Facing the challenge of not wondering why ‘Tis an apt metaphor for a mourner Floating right in between death and life Being there on a jet, it is safe, there’s no threat Except from a heart-piecing knife ‘Tis an apt metaphor for a mourner Whose world just endured quite a quake As the miles zip on by, you can’t turn a blind eye You try sleeping but you still suffer awake ‘Tis an apt metaphor for a mourner Who gives up all control on a plane As the tears just fall free, where everyone can see You grieve in the public domain ‘Tis an apt metaphor for a mourner When you’re on a journey that you didn’t choose You belt yourself in, without a beloved next of kin For a new normal you would rather eschew   *written aboard JetBlue, flying home from my father's funeral **eschew - avoid, dodge, duck, elude, escape, evade, shun **Shloshim refers to the 30 days after the funeral when a mourner slowly expands the place within the community

Explore more poetry about mourning Papa (my dad, Ken Kipnes). Watch my videos about mourning Enjoy more of my spoken word poetry