Funeral Blues

In mijn online zoektochten naar gedichten ter inspiratie voor families kom ik de mooiste gedichten tegen maar er is één gedicht dat mij elke keer weer ontroert.

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Ik leerde het gedicht kennen dankzij de aangrijpende scene in de film ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ waarin de Schotse acteur John Hannah (Matthew in de film) in zijn toespraak het gedicht liefdevol citeert. 

Funeral blues – W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves

He was my North, my South, my East and West
My working week and my Sunday rest
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood
For nothing now can ever come to any good

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