Doug Norris

Vermont Funeral

It is a Catholic church made of wood, painted white, plain inside, with long pews curved in a half-circle. There are simple wooden crosses, no stained glass. The windows show summer in the vibrant green and blue views of the surrounding Vermont countryside. Gavin’s father planned his own funeral. He makes us sing, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” He even wrote the opening line to his obituary: “William Keefe passed away today after a long struggle for immortality.” After the funeral we drink fresh beer and lay in his hammock, watching grandchildren chase rabbits and pull purple wildflowers from his garden.

dandelion wind clouds break apart