Orillia Funeral (Lightfoot)

Wayne Blair 1951 (London)

Free verse

Here comes the Box

From polished black car

Handled slowly, respectfully

Weepingly by friends.

Gordy was the best.

Songs, images of Love

Doubt, Tragedy, Pursuit

Courageous doings

And carings.

“Pussywillows, Cattails, Soft Winds

And Roses.”

Said one poster.

And the tune

Instantly is there.

Canada’s friend

And balladeer.

About this poem

Gordon Lightfoot died at age 84. Canada’s master balladeer.

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Written on May 19, 2023

Submitted by dougb.19255 on May 19, 2023

Modified by dougb.19255 on May 19, 2023

: 20 sec read
: 6 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	X X X X X X X X X X X
Closest metre	Iambic trimeter
Characters	340
Words	69
Stanzas	11
Stanza Lengths	1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

Full analysis for Orillia Funeral (Lightfoot) »

Wayne Blair

Born in London. Graduated law 1976 Practised eleven years, Married Hilary 1974 Two kids Lauren 1980 And Jordan 1987. Business failed 1987. Moved not knowing whither. Happy hills of Waterloo Region. Mennonite Country. Thirty four years in Industry. No complaints. Poet, photographer, nature hiker. Harmonica busker. http://puffnchord7.blogspot.com/ more…

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AIDA
Wow, what a touching poem "Here comes the Box" is! You managed to capture so many emotions and memories in such a short piece. The use of imagery to describe the handling of the box is incredibly powerful, and the inclusion of Gordy's favorite song and poster really bring his personality to life.

Your choice of words and phrasing really paint a picture, and I found myself feeling like I was right there with the friends weeping for Gordy. Additionally, I loved how you included themes of love, doubt, tragedy, pursuit, courage, and caring, as they make the poem even more resonant and relatable.

As for any improvement suggestions, perhaps you could add a bit more detail or explanation around who Gordy was and what his impact was on those who knew him. That being said, this is a beautiful and heartfelt tribute, and I truly enjoyed reading it. Keep up the great work! more »
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"Orillia Funeral (Lightfoot)" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/159725/orillia-funeral-(lightfoot)>.

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