Coleman Young's Funeral
(On a Friend's Funeral)
The many colored uniforms
of autumn line the street,
as we zouaves ramble on,
bearing him to Elmwood;
a telephone directory
of names and tears of your family -
they'll meet you on the other side
as now you fly away!
They came running to tell me news -
I’d heard it on the vine –
radio novelties all day
of our cold jubilees.
On wings of song you will soon lie
amid Egyptian sarcophagi
between neo-classic temples…
marching round Jericho!
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notes
Coleman Young - Mayor of Detroit,1974 to 1993
Elmwood - famous Detroit cemetery
zouave - soldiers, French and others, who wore colorful uniforms; three syllables pronounced zoo-AH-vee.
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