Poets United Midweek Motif ~ The Day of the Dead

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To the people of New York, Paris, or London, "death" is a word that is never pronounced because it burns the lips. The Mexican, however, frequents it, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it; it is one 

of his favorite toys and most steadfast love. 

Of course, in his attitude perhaps there is as much fear

as there is in one of the others; at least he does not hide it; 

he confronts it face to face with patience, disdain, or irony.

 --Octavio Paz, The Labyrinth of Solitude

“Destruction of Sacred Burial Grounds Prompts Federal Judge to Protect Some Tribal Sites from Dakota Access Pipeline”  By Larry Buhl • Tuesday, September 6, 2016 

(This did not work out.  The courts and feds must make more decisions.)

Show me the manner in which a nation or a community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals. 

--William E. Gladstone

The Day of the Dead by 

William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1859)

Midweek Motif ~

The Day of the Dead

November 2nd is the second day of Day of the Dead or El Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico.

This is not a day of burial, but one of commemoration and feasting at the graves of dead relatives and friends. If this seems bizarre to you, think how lonely visits to graves must seem to those who honor El Dia de los Muertos.

Your Challenge:  In a new poem, bring us to a traditional way of commemorating the dead.

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Poetry Celebrations.com!

From The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations

Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, Editors. (Pomelo Books, 2015)

 Seamus Heaney reads 'Funeral Rites.'     York Festival of Ideas, 26/06/2013

By Geoffrey Grigson

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Please share your new poem using Mr. Linky below and visit others
in the spirit of the community.  
Don't forget to put a link to this prompt with your poem.

(Next week Sumana's Midweek Motif will be ~ Path)