Funeral Food

by Dory L. Hudspeth

The tables are big and so empty.
Bowls of fruit salad must be large and
Casseroles nourishing enough to comfort the grieving.
The cookies must be made with real butter
Because anything artificial offered
Can be felt, and even smelled.
The bread must be as yeasty and sentimental
As the old school rolls to fill people
In ill-fitting and uncomfortable clothes.
The meat should be tender and warm
Like the people who do not know what to say.
The sauces must be tasty, but not too hot.
The coffee and tea should be strong
And the desserts sweet with no aftertaste.

Dory L. Hudspeth is an herbalist and co-owner of a business writing firm in Kentucky. Her poetry has appeared in a number of publications including Poet Lore, Thema, Wavelength, Potpourri, and Now & Then.