Obituary as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “a notice of a person’s death
usually with a short biographical account”.
Obituary as defined by me: “a notice of a person’s death that serves as a fake reminder of
the person; a bullshit “memory” that does not include: accuracy, temperament, small ticks,
habits, etc.”.
“July 19, 2019. Joseph R. “Joey” Grinaway, 43, of Reeders, passed away suddenly Friday
afternoon July 19, 2019, at his home.”
Obituaries are bullshit
That being said, when I type the letter ‘J’ into my search bar
The first thing to come up is yours
On days when the sun is low and the clouds are high
I find myself rewriting it in a way that people could actually understand you
July 19, 2019. Joey Grinaway, 43, of Reeders.
A voice you could hear whisper in the slight pull of the wind
In lieu of the soft tune of Sugar Magnolia in the distance
There for you in times of silence to fill the gaps
Caught between the tree roots of the oak tree in the front lawn
He sprouted new flowers from every crevice in the yard
And he smiled
July 19, 2019. Joseph Grinaway, 43, of Reeders.
Could not stand to love himself when he was sober
The soft tune of Sugar Magnolia filling his bed
He filled the gaps in his bedroom walls with toxins
And when he realized they were not enough he filled his veins
He found his eyes come to a rest, he put up no struggle
And he smiled
July 19, 2019. Uncle Joey, 43, of Reeders.
Left our world to the soft tune of Sugar Magnolia
And he smiled.
Gabby Grinaway is a first-year Creative Writing and Publishing & Editing student.