If I Were To Die Today
(a poem in progress by Wentworth)
If I were to die today
Three days from today my receptionist at work
would ask: "where's Tom, today?"
The police would arrive and say,
"Another lonely corpse today."
The EMS would say, "It stinks his having been
rotting away."
The morgue intake-clerk would ask,
"Who is his next of kin, anyway?"
My Mom would say,
"I'd hoped to sleep in today."
My Dad would say,
"I'll greet him at the Pearly Gates today."
His second wife would say,
"Sweet revenge came my way."
My Grandad would say,
"I never much liked him, okay?"
My GrandPops would say,
"Let's do an accounting before we pray."
My sister would say,
"This really isn't convenient today."
My other one would say,
"He was a nice guy, anyway."
My ex would say,
"Break out the Champagne, today."
Her girlfriend would say,
"It's like Mardi Gras today!"
Her childhood friend would say,
"This calls for a party today!"
My neighbor would say,
"i'm gonna grab some swag today!"
My boss would say,
"Who is next for a window office, today?"
My colleague would say,
"Not me, but I'd like his chair, anyway."
My broker would say,
"Someone's got a nice payday."
My personnel officer would say,
"He's saved Uncle Sam money today."
My Dalai Lama would say,
"Life's all emptiness, anyway."
My God would say,
"I'm not too pleased with how you
used your way."
--
But I haven't died yet.
So, I've got another day, today
