I know you did not smell of sanitizer

of pain, worry, and clean sheets

I wish I could remember

Because hospitals are not how I want to remember you.

“I mean I was once a man, and now that I’ve died, the mourners will come. They will deliver a eulogy, all my friends will stand here and say I was a kind man, and that I lived a good life. And then they will cry that I am gone.” The corpse spoke softly, silently and the casket did not understand.

“Why would people cry over a corpse?”

“Well I wasn’t always a corpse. I was a person, once. I was a husband. Look, there’s my wife.”

“I can’t see. I’m a casket. You can’t see, either. You are a corpse,” the casket said.

“I can see. I’m here to see my funeral before I go to Heaven.” He watched the people mill about in their dark colors, holding each other, placing flowers, some crying.

“Corpses don’t go to Heaven. People go to Heaven. Corpses just rot.”

The corpse tried to fidget uncomfortably, but was immobile. His arms were crossed impeccably over his waist, and his shoes were laced tightly. He again spoke to the casket, as if it cared.

“I am on my way to Heaven.” He stated.

“Again, corpses do not go to Heaven. I’m just a casket and even I know that. If you were going to Heaven, why aren’t you there yet?”

I think this should be the standard for best friends in the event of someone’s death, and will be a great honor. I promise now and forever, not to judge a dead friend for any weird fetish they had, or any creepy self-taken nude pictures left behind.

In conclusion, if I name you in my secret will at any point, you will be held responsible and accountable for the affairs of my estate to be taken care of. Be honored. And don’t forget the magazines.

Whistling as forgotten whispers choke the words

Silence grasping at eternity like a dark phantasm

Echoing over windblown mountains, settling in the deepest chasms

Laying rest to life to begin anew

Taking everything back from us, an inevitability long overdue

The calm waters will slap lightly upon virgin shores

The dark winds of quiet blowing evermore

As humanity leaves to make room for something new.

© Shannon Peil, 2009

[others]

And as I stood there, shivering
Scared out of my mind, he told me I was stepping on the edge of his sheet.

Sorry, ghost.

But it’s probably your own damn fault anyways that you’re a ghost
like penance for doing something stupid whenever it was that you died
maybe swimming in waters known for their shark attacks
or not placing the car jack in the proper place
before sticking your head under there.

It helped me, thinking of it that way
like this ghost deserved it. Wandering around, not being able to touch stuff.

In a sheet.
Forever.

© Shannon Peil, 2009

[others]

It was like one day the lights just went out

You got cold, your flare was gone

And just like that, it was over.

You didn’t even remember who I was, in the end

That hurt more than anything

I admit I wanted you to die, then

I thought about it every day

And it’s always caused me guilt.

But today, I wanted to say goodbye

I wanted to tell you that I’ve grown

I’ve wished for longer than I can remember that you’d be proud

But you never will be.

You’ll never know how I turned out, or who I am

And I’m sorry. I’m sorry that your light was snuffed out.

I was angry, but soon that changed

It was like one day the lights just went out

I got cold, and my flare was gone

And just like that, so were you.

© Shannon Peil, 2009

[others]