'Committal' by Sharon Telfer

When your time comes, we have made your place ready. We bring scented water so you will be clean. We bring fresh cloth so you will be covered. We close your eyes with tender fingers. We lift and carry you. We lay you in the ground and place flowers around you. We stand and sing together so you will not feel alone. We stand and sing together so we will feel less alone. We stand silent, for a moment, in light rain or soft sun or icy stillness. We turn then, reach out warm hands and fold our arms around each other. We eat and remember your smile. We nod and smile ourselves. We drink to your laugh. We sleep curled tight or lie wet-eyed in the dark.

In later days, we come in ones or twos and sit with you. We tell you our news. We tell you our problems. We listen. Sometimes, we think we hear your voice answer. Sometimes, we hear only the steady sigh of our own breath and a bird singing, and it is enough.