‘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