Taps for Pop-Pop - Brian McSweeney

[Larry Robinson]

Taps for Pop-Pop

 

He knelt on one knee in the other world

A black soldier in dress army blues

His bugle in its case by his side

Absolutely still waiting for his part.

The minister mouthed unheard words—

The violence of soulless ceremony.

The bugler occupied a sonic position

Set back from the coffin to the left side

So his Taps could enter the heart side ear.

A white soldier standing to the right

Of the Old Glory draped coffin saluted

The mourners and stated that the deceased

Would be honored for his service to his country.

He pivoted sharply toward the bugler and saluted.

Then the bugler opened his case deftly and stood

His first note made the green grass spring to life,

His Taps was Miles, Bird, a splendid Coltrane,

It was Blake’s ball of golden thread rolled out

A path for the soul to its divine source.

 

The bugler packed up his instrument, saluted the dead

And marched forward to join his partner

In the flag folding ceremony when I saw

That the bugler was a woman and I wondered

What violence she had borne in her service

As a woman, as a black woman, and I wished

I could do a sweeping bow for the whole human race

For this living instrument of beauty and grace.

Did she know as she curtly strode up the hill thankless

That she was the minister, the master of ceremonies,

The MC to die for at our final dance?

 

	- Brian McSweeney