When I Die Remember Me

When I die remember me
hang my balls
on a cherry tree
oh honey
oh baby mine-
(A bawdy parody 
of the song lyrics of
a pop tune of the late 50's)

It is a very strange feeling
standing over one's own
prospective grave site
after making final
pre-arrangements for
one's own prospective funeral

No
I am not terminal
at least not yet
and
G-d willing
not too soon

The bible promises
(or at least offers the possibility)
of three score years and ten
as the likely life span
of a human being

For some
three score and ten
is more than enough
for others
it is too short
not enough time
too brief a span of time to
accomplish all that
the human heart desires

I am sixty-six years old
four years to go
if the biblical injunction
holds true

Some might think of this
as a death sentence
without reprieve
others as an opportunity
to finally be able to
lay down the burdens of life
to enjoy eternal rest or
to participate in further
adventures yet to come

We do not know the answer
as no one has yet
returned from the grave
(not even Harry Houdini
though he promised to try)
to tell us (the still living)
what life (or after life) is like
once we have made
the final crossing

Some say that Jesus
returned from the dead
to speak to his disciples
(I think that the jury
is still out on this one)
others say that Jesus
was able to raise
Lazerus from the grave
only to see him
murdered for a second time
(Some say that Lazerus'
nick name was Lucky
but I think the were
just trying to be funny)

I have made provisions
to have my body cremated
(dust to dust)
and to have the urn
buried at a grave site
with a small plaque to
mark my final resting place

Now that all of the
pre-arrangements
have been made
I find myself in no
special hurry
to shuffle off this mortal coil
just yet

I have many more things
that I would like to do
more places to see and
more people to meet
before I finally go
to meet my Maker

And when that final
judgement day does come
I hope that I am able to make
a good impression
and a good accounting
of the life that I have lived
for better or worse
for good or for ill

For I agree with the bard
Robert Browning
who wrote that
a man's reach should
exceed his grasp or
what's a heaven for? 

jhmarkowitz
Philadelphia, Pa. 2013