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My Uncle, the Embalmer

My Uncle Lotcha was an embalmer, you see, He took care of all the dead in our family Exactly what he did was always a mystery to me When he was busy embalming, we let him be. We knew for his services he charged a huge fee When he got a body, he was filled with glee He really enjoyed his work, another mystery, When I think of it, his job matched him to a tee. He was very somber and dressed meticulously I never saw Uncle Lotcha climbing up a tree, I never recall seeing grass stains on his knee He was always perfectly proper, yes siree! Written October 13, 2022

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Caren Krutsinger

Date: 10/14/2022 9:51:00 PM

I truly enjoyed this thoroughly enjoyable monorhyme Hank!

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/15/2022 8:02:00 AM

Thanks so much, Caren.

Jeff Connelly

Date: 10/14/2022 4:00:00 AM

What a wonderful portrait of a person L Milton. I thought since this poem was written in the past tense, a possible dead give away; I was waiting for some sort of horror movie "jump scare", but also going by this poem, Uncle Lotcha wouldn't have wanted it that way. Thanks so much L Milton...

Jeff Connelly
Date: 10/14/2022 8:20:00 AM

I never read other people's comments until after I comment. Now I feel the fool for punning. When I was a kid I wanted to be a grave digger. I thought it would put me more in touch with life and death. Real hands on experience. Now days that job is usually done with a backhoe. C'est la vie...

Jenna Logan

Date: 10/14/2022 3:41:00 AM

I've no witty puns to offer but wonder how anyone could handle the job. Gives me the willies to think about it.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/14/2022 7:48:00 AM

Some people are just cut out for it. I have a good friend who is a funeral director. He has severe COPD, so I have helped him out on occasion. The dead cannot hurt you. The body is just an object after death. Another funeral director friend told me he enjoyed his work because it was the last thing he could ever do to help a person.

Constance La France

Date: 10/14/2022 3:02:00 AM

Milt, your poem is full of fun and seriousness. Your uncle had an important job, that he obviously cared about very much, blessings Constance

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/14/2022 7:48:00 AM

Thanks, Constance. Yes, he was a very fine funeral director.

Robert Gorelick

Date: 10/13/2022 6:37:00 PM

i tried to be an embalmer but business was dead! Pretty grave situation. Robert

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/13/2022 7:54:00 PM

(chuckling) Stranger still, Robert, Uncle Lotcha had a heart attack and died while embalming a body!

Shirley Hawkins

Date: 10/13/2022 5:29:00 PM

Is this true, Milt? It is a job somebody (excuse the pun ) has got to do. Take care. Shirley.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/13/2022 7:55:00 PM

Shirley, this is absolutely true. My aunt took over the funeral home when my uncle died and she ran it until she died at age 102. Now their son runs it.

Michael Tor

Date: 10/13/2022 5:22:00 PM

This would have been good for Halloween Milton.Lol. Spooky stuff. I do not know if I could do his job. I don't think I could. I would have nightmares of all the dead that I saw... Thank you for posting...

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/13/2022 7:56:00 PM

I don't think it bothered him (or my aunt) at all. They sort of believed it was a necessary job, and the pay was really, really, really good!

Terry Flood

Date: 10/13/2022 4:27:00 PM

Well, somebody gotta do it! A fine undertaking, Milt. ;-)

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/13/2022 7:56:00 PM

I knew this poem was going to elicit lots of puns, Terry. Thanks. You didn't let me down!

Becky Forbes

Date: 10/13/2022 2:32:00 PM

Setting the bar AFTER the contest is over? Wink Wink

Becky Forbes
Date: 10/13/2022 9:10:00 PM

You created a crafty monorhyme here... that would have been a top contender in your monorhyme contest. (I was trying too hard to be silly... missed the mark!)

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/13/2022 7:57:00 PM

I suppose. But, I'm not sure exactly what you mean.

Jeff Kyser

Date: 10/13/2022 12:40:00 PM

You know why embalmers dress proper inside? Right there on the label, says: formal-dehyde!

L Milton Hankins
Date: 10/13/2022 7:57:00 PM

Oh my! See my response to Terry. (chuckling)