The Coroner's Lament - 1. Chapter 1

It's a very touching poem. I know 2016 has been a rough year for you personally, and now, this poem speaks well to the larger anxieties spreading through our lives as well.
Beautiful!

Such a great pain literally poured into this poem. The vivid explanation melted my heart. As Ben said, a very touching poem.

Wonderfully written Aunt Def...

~Emi.

Reading this, I would believe you were a coroner. So much tender understanding, and care for these forgotten charges. It is a sadly beautiful journey, and I found it impossible to pick out a favorite verse... each needs what follows it. Your word choice and phrasing is superb... every line touched me, and I loved the repeated plea. Astounding, my friend. You should be proud of crafting a poem that deserves multiple readings... cheers... Gary....

Hey. As your official sidekick, I declare this poem, wonderful! You did an outstanding job, Def. There is caring, kindness and most importantly, respect in this. I found it deeply touching.

tim xoxo

My first thought was actually a question: Why a poem from the perspective of a coroner of all people? Not that it really matters. It's an outcry for those who can't do that anymore. You're taking sides, and rightfully so.

On 11/11/2016 05:35 AM, AC Benus said:

It's a very touching poem. I know 2016 has been a rough year for you personally, and now, this poem speaks well to the larger anxieties spreading through our lives as well.

Beautiful!

Thank you AC. I always value what you say as it means a lot to me. 2016 was dark there for a while, but the cloud lifted some..

I am lucky to have your friendship, support and help. Thanks again, for all of it.

On 11/11/2016 05:51 AM, Emi GS said:

Such a great pain literally poured into this poem. The vivid explanation melted my heart. As Ben said, a very touching poem.

 

Wonderfully written Aunt Def...

 

~Emi.

Aw, Emi. Thank you for a lovely review. I'm glad you found it touching.

-Aunt Def...that always makes me smile..

On 11/11/2016 06:13 AM, Headstall said:

Reading this, I would believe you were a coroner. So much tender understanding, and care for these forgotten charges. It is a sadly beautiful journey, and I found it impossible to pick out a favorite verse... each needs what follows it. Your word choice and phrasing is superb... every line touched me, and I loved the repeated plea. Astounding, my friend. You should be proud of crafting a poem that deserves multiple readings... cheers... Gary....

Gary, you are so wonderful to me. Your review warmed my lil wannabe poet's heart. You know what you think means so much, so I truly appreciate this.

Thank you for your support and kind words..

On 11/11/2016 03:57 PM, Mikiesboy said:

Hey. As your official sidekick, I declare this poem, wonderful! You did an outstanding job, Def. There is caring, kindness and most importantly, respect in this. I found it deeply touching.

 

tim xoxo

tim, you do know being my sidekick is a lifetime commitment right? Too late now!

Your help with this was truly valuable to me. You stripped the extra lines and words, and suddenly less was more.. I'm learning and I'm grateful, always..

Thank you.. xoxo

On 11/11/2016 11:15 PM, aditus said:

My first thought was actually a question: Why a poem from the perspective of a coroner of all people? Not that it really matters. It's an outcry for those who can't do that anymore. You're taking sides, and rightfully so.

I guess I did pick a side huh..

My sister got a call to attend a funeral for her client. They had family, but no one would claim them. The request it turns out came from the man in the morgue. It made me wonder about him and what it was like. This poem was my attempt to express that, so I'm glad I did it some justice..

Thank you Adi.. I really appreciate your review..

I'm always in awe of those people who manage to do the most emotionally draining jobs like being a coroner - being a voice for the deceased, demanding answers if necessary (in the Engish system) and giving knowledge and perhaps comfort to those left behind.

You capture all of this wonderfully and in so few words. 'Oh heart, stand strong' indeed for anyone involved in such distressing work.

On 11/15/2016 04:28 AM, northie said:

I'm always in awe of those people who manage to do the most emotionally draining jobs like being a coroner - being a voice for the deceased, demanding answers if necessary (in the Engish system) and giving knowledge and perhaps comfort to those left behind.

 

You capture all of this wonderfully and in so few words. 'Oh heart, stand strong' indeed for anyone involved in such distressing work.

I don't think I could do it. I imagine they feel but must have a strong countenance cause like you say it's draining..

Thank you for reading this Northie, and for your kind review..

Congrats, Def! You're a great storyteller, and you're an awesome poet!

I'm looking to read more from you!

'

.

On 11/16/2016 07:37 PM, Arazon said:

I find it hard to review poetry but I thought this was magnificent. It captures much emotion, and made me feel the weight on the coroner. I agree with Lisa, my favourite line was ‘in the fields of the forgotten’, and the repeated phrase to stay strong. Beautifully written, thank you for sharing this.

Poetry is open to individual interpretation, so it's sometimes hard to review. I'm glad though that what I was hoping to convey, came through for you.

Thank you for reading Arazon (yay!) Much appreciated.

On 11/16/2016 04:25 PM, Lisa said:

'Then into the dark welcoming earth

Alone, eternally to sleep

Beings forever silenced

In the fields of the forgotten

Agnus Dei, grant them rest'

 

This made me cry. I read the poem a few times now, Def, and it's this last verse that gets me every time. 'In the fields of the forgotten' I think is my favorite line. So sad. I picture grave upon grave upon grave, with all the seasons changing, yet the graves are always so solitary with no one around to remember the people buried there.

 

I could never be a coroner either. Dead people just creep me out. No disrespect intended.

 

Congrats, Def! You're a great storyteller, and you're an awesome poet!

I'm looking to read more from you!

 

'

Oh, Lisa. I should feel a little badly, but I am going to take it to heart that you were so moved. It means I was successful in clearly sharing my thoughts.. Potter's Field is a rather sad place.

Thank you for another wonderful review and your kind words. They mean a lot..

A challenging and difficult task, to come so close to what scares us all so much. To be the one to send us off on that last journey and make it a good departure... I have a feeling the people who do this have a different view on life and death, perhaps more humble, perhaps more savoring. A beautiful poem.

On 11/18/2016 06:35 AM, Puppilull said:

A challenging and difficult task, to come so close to what scares us all so much. To be the one to send us off on that last journey and make it a good departure... I have a feeling the people who do this have a different view on life and death, perhaps more humble, perhaps more savoring. A beautiful poem.

I agree that the people who do this probably do view life and death with a different lens. I can't imagine that their lives are not in some way altered by it all.

'A beautiful poem' Thank you Puppi.... Your reading of this and review are much appreciated.

I think you captured what a coroner must go through on the job perfectly. There used to be a show on tv that I would watch. It showed a real medical examiner going about her job. She would receive someone's body and start to examine the person. As the hour went on she would discover who the person was, how they lived and died.
There were times when the medical examiner would be quite sad when she learned about a person. Some of them really were forgotten until she told their story.

On 12/04/2016 08:00 PM, jfalkon said:

I think you captured what a coroner must go through on the job perfectly. There used to be a show on tv that I would watch. It showed a real medical examiner going about her job. She would receive someone's body and start to examine the person. As the hour went on she would discover who the person was, how they lived and died.

There were times when the medical examiner would be quite sad when she learned about a person. Some of them really were forgotten until she told their story.

I can't believe that ME's are totally detached, although there must be some distance in order to do an effective job. I'm sure there are others who can pack it up and not think about it until the next day. I wonder about the ones who have that case or person stay with them. I think about the ways that job changes them..

Thank you for reading this, and for your kind words.