Good Grief! Daddy's Big Fat Irish Funeral

The saying of goodbyes started well before you died.
The nurses were aghast at your family of size
13 family members in attendence at your hospital bedside.

Everyone cheery, the operation was successful, nobody cried
Looking back, you were too weak to talk but you tried
And if you could have you would have said your goodbyes

Instead you smiled and held hands, accepted our love and made no demands
I remember the sun was shining when we left to go home
It wasn't until you were all alone that reluctantly your spirit to heaven did roam

Shortly after that my oldest sister called my phone
And then she, my mother and myself went alone
To release your body and cry and say our goodbyes

The busyness of planning  Daddy's Irish funeral had begun
Go to the funeral home, pick the casket, pick your suit and when that was done
Choose the day and hours for the viewing, bring the music, order the flowers

Next plan the church service music, choose the priest and the hour
Control my anger, take deep breathes, and use lots of prayer and will power
Put notices in the newspapers here and there,  even then not everyone was aware

Call as many family members as we were able
All the friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws and those without labels
The viewing and church service now was set. Time for whisky? You bet!

Next came the grave side service followed  by some bill of fare
While you chose to live here, your burial was an hour and a half over there
Thank God for cousins handling those arrangements, so no cares

We were in no frame of mind to gather and inform our family clan
By the time we got to the cemetery all we need do was mourn, sit, and stand
After everyone ate, we all went to my uncle's house until it got late

Everyone expressing condolences, telling stories, eating and drinking
That's how our family did its grieving
I just wanted to go home, that's what I was I thinking

I had been to several of these family funerals over the years
Now it was our turn to smile, endure and shed some tears
Share memories and laughter and have some beer

That was your family's way of  saying good-bye
Of showing their love and loyality but not many cried
The time for tears would be when we each went home and were alone

You're brother called you the G...D... goodwill ambassador of the family
Judging from the turn out at the viewing, the church and the cemetery
I'd say he was right on the money even though the title sounded funny

As I said before, the tears came after all was said and done
Life without your smile has been much less fun
But the love is still there when shared by those who remember and care