Poetry Sunday

In his book Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives, author David Eagleman wrote, 

“There are three deaths. The first is when the body ceases to function. The second is when the body is consigned to the grave. The third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time.”

In this poem by Danusha Laméris, we think about once-popular names that are remembered, if at all, as images graven for later generations to remember.

Names

by Danusha Laméris

What happens to the ones that fall out of favor:

the Dorises and Archibalds,

the Theodores and Eunices?

They all had their day,

once roamed the earth in multitudes

alongside Gerties and Wyatts—

at least one in every classroom.

Names written in neat block print,

scratched into tree bark,

engraved on heart-shaped lockets,

filling the morning paper

with weddings and engagements.

How could they have known

that one-by-one the Constances

and Clydes would disappear,

replaced by Jennifers, Jacobs,

Ashleys and Aidens.

That few would ever dance again,

corsages pinned to their breasts

or hear their names on the radio

whispered in dedication,

or uttered in darkness

by a breathless voice,

or even shouted out in anger—

Seymour!"—

as they grabbed the keys and stormed out the door.

Each name fading quietly from daily life

as though it had never existed,

except for the letters etched into stone,

warmed by the sun

and at night, lit by a crescent moon. 

Names come and go in popularity; the memory of the people who bore those names remains, for a time, at least.

Have a good day and enjoy the rest of your weekend. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

P.S. - don't forget - we are at DUMBCON 1. Take appropriate measures to secure your sanity.