After His Death

This is a new writing about an old event. Grieving can take on some bizarre practices. We nurses have heard wailing, moaning, crying, speaking in tongues, shrieking and all kinds of unusual requests, to take place at the bedside. To me, this was the pinnacle of a real freakout! These survivors were kneeling on the floor and bashing their heads on the linoleum! Also, they were shrieking and wailing. Look folks, this might be Ok at home or at the Funeral Parlor, but there is no frickin way that it is suitable in the Hospital. Yikes!

After he died
The congregation shrieked,
We were forced to close the door
So no one else freaked,
And we had to offer blankets
For those mourners wailing and keening,
And towels for their heads
Bashing them on the floor
Some sort of sacrificial beaning. 

This went on for three hours
But, folks this is the ICU,
There are other still alive patients in the E.D.
Who are dying for a room with a view,
So wIth tact, finesse and mercy
We had to carefully coax the grieving,
To get the heck out of our Unit
‘Twas high time they were leaving.

Even in our wide mouth American melting pot
Some grieving practices are weirder than snot,
And perhaps, would be better practiced at home
If you want to bang your head, flinging spittle and foam.