My father wants a new suit, deep blue to black
for the viewing—— loose fitting, with or without
a cuff

————————————————–—A senior
discount, flat rate for cash money.———-— All-weather
wool, just in case

———————————–—As in the case
where the lid for my father’s casket will be
———————————–—open as he wants, so

people will see that he’s prepared, no longer
on oxygen So I——————-— call

for a takeout
and take back if something’s just not right
———————————–—The best they have

As when people used to dress up for business
He’s that kind of man now, formal

without my mother—————-—She wanted
a closed casket, though I saw him look inside
when the director offered

and I saw how he saw
they had dressed her in the orange paisley
pantsuit she wanted————————-—with shoulders

that give as when she was——————-—working
the front desk of a business where every dressed-up
—————————-—man had to stop

first to find out where to go
—————————————————-—and who it was
he really needed to see

 

 

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Dwaine Rieves is a medical imaging scientist in Washington, DC.