The Grave Digger’s Dirge of 2020

Anneke Zegers

The mourners come in weeping wailing waves 
And, streaming through the cemetery gate 
with ashen veils, the solemn demonstrate 
devotion for the corpses of mass graves. 
Tis the season for the body count 
to surge as young and old meet their demise. 
I cannot think a reason underlies 
the prevalence in our deadly amount 
making an escalation of this sort; 
yet I suppose there ought to be a cause 
for gaping Death to open wide his jaws 
and pay the men of youth and talent short. 
So many parting shades have flown this year; 
let no more die, the ones whom we revere.