At Dean Faulkner Wells’s graveside service yesterday, everyone sang “Bye Bye Blackbird,” which (as I’m sure Dean was fully aware would happen when she asked for that) broke everyone up, and Jim Dees read the excerpt below from Wallace Steven’s “Sunday Morning.”
We live in an old chaos of the sun,
Or an old dependency of day and night,
Or island solitude, unsponsored, free,
Of that wide water, inescapable.
Deer walk upon our mountains, and quail
Whistle about us their spontaneous cries;
Sweet berries ripen in the wilderness;
And, in the isolation of the sky,
At evening, casual flocks of pigeons make
Ambiguous undulations as they sink,
Downward to darkness, on extended wings.
Dees said that, long ago, Dean and Willie Morris each agreed they wanted this read at their funerals. At Willie’s funeral, Dean realized it had been omitted, and, as Will Campbell went up to speak, she grabbed Campbell, handed it to him, and said, “Read this.”
Sorry to learn of her passing.
Now I want Stevens read at my funeral too, tho I will have to think what. The “Sunday Morning” verse about “as April’s green endures” is a good one, if anyone dares to read it in front of the pastor.
If the deceased requested the verse — any verse — at his funeral, we will thank the pastor to stand by respectfully as it is read.
Or, as Wm. Carlos Wms. somewhat suggested, just dispense with the pastor altogether.
A friend of mine called me Monday (I was on my way to Oxford) inquiring about a particular part of the service and what he should say or do. I explained that anything done respectfully would be appropriate, customs or standards are sometimes quite irrelevant, or so it seems, to me.
Also, I’m inclined to agree with pbpike, I think, does it really matter?
And to Anderson’s point. I’ll do it for you, tho I’m unknown in real life to you, if it means something to you for it to be done at your funeral. Pastor be damned, we come into this world alone and so shall we leave it.
That’s a great poem too, PB.
.. Razor, thank you very kindly; I think “hi, I’m from the internet and Anderson wanted me to read this poem” would be a truly memorable moment, probably the only one anyone would actually recall 10 years later.
I want someone to tell this joke at my funeral.
There were two brothers. The first brother had a cat that he absolutely loved. He pampered that cat. But, he had to go on a two week trip to Europe. So, he asked his brother to take care of his cat while he was gone. After he had arrived in London, he called his brother to check on his cat.
Brother 1: Hey, how’s my cat doing?
Brother 2: He’s dead.
B1: What?
B2: He climbed up a tree, touched a power line, and died.
B1: What?
B2: Your cat is dead.
B1: You asshole! [Hangs up phone]
The next day Brother1 calls Brother2.
B1: Look, I want to let you know that I did not appreciate the way that you told me that my cat died. You just blurted it out, “your cat is dead”. If you were a considerate person you would have said something like “I’m sorry but your cat has climbed a tree, but don’t worry, I called 911 and they hope to have him down here shortly”. And, the next day I would call and you could’ve said “he’s still in the tree, but we are doing everything we can to get him down”. And then the next day I would’ve called and you could’ve said “I am so sorry, but your cat fell out of the tree, and despite the paramedics heroic actions they could not revive him. I’m sorry but he didn’t make it”. That is how you should’ve broke the news to me.
B2: You are right. That was insensitive of me. I knew how much you loved that cat. I was inconsiderate and I apologize.
B1: Thank you for apologizing. I appreciate it.
B2: Well, you were right. I didn’t handle the situation well.
B1: I am glad we got that cleared up.
B2: Me too.
B1: So, how’s Momma?
Long pause.
B2: I’m sorry but she climbed a tree, but don’t worry, I called 911 and they hope to have her down here shortly.
Postscript: That is a Buddy Hackett joke as told on the Tonight Show. Jay Leno was at a party and Buddy Hackett told him that he needed to tell this joke in his show, but Leno said no and had Buddy Hackett come on and tell this one joke. It’s one of my all time favorite jokes.
I encourage everyone to get out and vote tomorrow. If Mr. Luckett doesn’t win the primary, it will be so very unfortunate for us all. I want so much for every one, young and older, to realize the chance we have as Mississippians to have a governor who is for the people of Mississippi and not for his own self interests. After the primary, if he doesn’t win the democratic candidate–our chance will be lost—for a long time.
This Grantland note about Ms Wells by Wright Thompson seems poignant & well written– http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6822219/yoknapatawpha-wake