A Grave Matter to Ponder

Let me play with your mind for a bit,

I trust you can handle a little bit of wit;

For certainly right where you and I sit

Death for sure will make a sure hit.

 

I sometimes ponder about the dead.

Can they feel or hear what is being said?

Where are they now at this present time?

Are they in this zone or another time line?

I had an argument once with a friend

Who had said the dead knows nothing.

I asked if he could prove that to me

And he looked at me as though I was silly.

 

He said everyone knows that’s a fact,

The dead knows nothing and that is that.

I asked him if he has ever been dead,

He said that I had to be funny in the head.

I said, “Answer my question, you really must

Or stop pretending and making a fuss

About matters which you never knew;

Anyone can see you don’t have a clue."

He said that I know he’s never been dead

But I just wanted to confuse his head.

I said, “Not at all, I just wanted to know

If someone came back and told you so.”

At this time he was looking quite blank

But still pretended to be candid and frank;

I still pushed the point that he did not know

Unless someone came back and told him so.

Well he got heated up and began to shout,

Behaving like an infant he started to pout.

I said, “Come on man, behave, try and relax,

We are just here trying to ascertain the facts.

 

Let’s try another angle see what we can find,

Let’s see if I can help you get out of this bind.

What if you had died and then come back?

Could you convince me that this is a fact?”

  

“What do you really mean?” he asked of me,

Happy for a chance to make me look silly.

“Well if you had died certainly you would be

Able to tell us all what the dead could see.”

“Ah!” he said, “That is true, very true in deed!

No doubt you would listen and take heed.”

“No way,” I said, “With you I’d still be in doubt;

You’d still have to find another way out.”

“Come on!  You’re just trying to be difficult.

Admit you have lost and accept the result.

The dead knows nothing I’d be sure to tell

Now all can see you have dug yourself a well.”

“Don’t be too fast my friend, stop and think!

I have dug the well but you stand on the brink.

The dead knows nothing is what you suppose.

You do not know.  That is what I propose.

 

So suppose you were dead and now you are alive;

Follow this argument for with you I shall strive

In this grave matter right to the very end

And not rest until I have convinced you my friend."

Two different worlds of the dead and the living;

That one knows what the other does is a misgiving.

How can you say you know the dead does not know

Unless when you were dead you knew this was so?

This is without the scope of our limited brain

Even though this morbid discussion we entertain.

There are some things the living cannot grasp;

That the dead does not know is an impossible task.

There's only one that was dead and is alive now,

To raise all who believe in him is his solemn vow;

Though some are dead in a while they shall live

And along with those living, eternal life he'll give. 

 

Stewart Russell © 2015