Custom and Practice
He leads the way with stately tread.
The rest of us must follow suit,
in honour of the newly dead.
He is the undertakers mute.
This is how he earns his bread
all dressed in black from head to foot.
A funereal figurehead
He’s well accustomed to the route.
His dignity is absolute.
To which we are accustom-ed.
An ancient honoured institute
which is by custom expect-ed.
By rich and poor by great and small
the graveyard waits to claim us all.
6 May 2006