Laughter At The Wake

b/w

49 Day Process
by

RICHARD MILLETT
“Laughter At The Wake” written by Richard Millett © 2017 and published by Fluxlife Inc.
“49 Day Process” written by Richard Millett & Earl Todteman © 2017 and published by Fluxlife Inc.
Photography, Layout & Design- Earl Todteman
Conceptual Continuity- Earl Todteman

fluxlifeinc@yahoo.com makethingseasy.blogspot.com scribd.com/Fluxlifeinc youtube.com/user/Fluxlifeinc

Other titles in this series:

Radar/Grain- Tracing The Dim Signal- Water b/w Fingernail In My Salad- Scatter- Scatter/Mild Life/T. & W.- Life Isn't Hard b/w
Mild Life- The Aluminum Farm- The Zen Transference Manual- It Went Red- The First Four Years- Splish!- The Splish! Supplement-
Splish Reconsidered- Swim To The Center- Oranges- Present- Communism Is Grand- The Sampler- Statements Anti
Statements- Sunrise On The Caina Islands- Remember b/w Thank You- Your Future Your Freedom- This Is What Freedom
Looks Like- God Bless The Guests At The Banquet- Salt Or Light
LAUGHTER AT THE WAKE

Who are they?

No, not that group of people
we know from work
standing quietly on the side
who mention
that there's been
no sun in weeks
and how dreary
this warm winter is
with bricks, trees
and street signs left
dripping stained sleet

Why did they come here?

No, not the distant relatives
on the couch in the back corner
crying and trading stories
who mention
that there are so many
clouds you can't see the sky
and that we can't hear the news
for so much static in the airwaves,
an exchange for a
bill too low to pay
with tar dripping from the faucet

Why do they stay?

when it appears they
only want to sneer at
the mourners' tears
and refuse to pick up
the flowers they knocked over

What move can you take?

since their skin is so
thin they start screaming
when asked to act their age

We can't tell them to leave?

we can't since they're family?
but I see their carrying on and shaking
and am disgusted
they behave this way
you can't stop hearing their laughter at the wake
listen to them gloating
about voting against
everyone's well being
so thoughtless and uncaring
that their liberty and future are at stake
I can't ignore the laughter at the wake