Judith E. Johnson

A BALLAD OF FALSE COMFORT

(for Betty, dead of cancer)

One: The Dead Woman

"They neither kneel to pray for me

nor take their comfort stretched at length

but they that love me rest their bones

shank by shank on a stone bench

Uneasiness and lust of hours

sing out the watch you keep

Nine days: desire is tireless

nine weeks: and weariness to wait

i shall outlast your hunger, look:

nine months and not done yet.

Sure we have dreamed the hour away

i slept and so was brought to bed

rise up, rise up, good mourners all

comfort me, now I am dead."

Two: the Mourners

"Teeth to the dog

horns to the deer

and to the dead

dead wood to wear

Box for the bones

cold space for breath

grey / stones

the bridal wreath

earth to press heavy

on your breast

weight of love

to make you rest

why do you wake?

you should sleep

we have too much

of you to keep."

Three: The Exchange

"It’s narrow, narrow keep your bed

dear brother for my sake

for the chill hours sheeted me

years so you need not lack

It’s naked may you wear your skin

for me my sister’s child

i have made pain my intimate

to clothe you from the cold"

"If we have eaten and are full

and lie down warm in bed

are you more sick when we are well?

because we live are you more dead?

Cast down, cast down your body’s load

throw off all lust to give

learn to lie easy under stone

we took all from you and we live."

Four: The Mourners

"Cut from the skull

a cup of skill

the bridegroom then

may take his fill

From fingers’ ends

and bones in wrist

sharp necklace for

the bride we’ll twist

But the soft parts

heart brain and loin

no human thing

shall use again

Dearest, don’t keep

that body sweet

we live and feast

on living meat."

Five: The Dead Woman

"They neither bless the bread they break

nor praise the wine they swill

yet i who lie here swollen cry

how still my belly is not full

If i that lust for what i lost

could have the world to eat

would i lie cold as i have lived

torn for another’s meat?

Ah, brother, sister, make my bed

make it deep and wide

lay a stone garland at my head

that i may die a bride.

that I may die a bride my dears

who never was a wife

and all the creatures under earth

praise god that I had life."

Copyright 1979 by Judith Johnson Sherwin

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