Bride and Widow
At his funeral service, in St Paulšs,
Melbourne, we heard his eulogy at length, then
a further statement of his too-short life.
Married three times (news to us),
and the last time was his second
wedding to Elizabeth, last year.
We were too far to the rear to see her.
When the moment came for the clergy
to lead down the long aisle to the great door
his coffin with its pallbearers,
behind it we saw walking
the widow Elizabeth, straight-backed
who only a year before had walked
as bride that aisle with him,
groom again, his cancer in remission.
Max Richards
Doncaster, Victoria
Wednesday 7 May 2008
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