Tell the birds to stop their morning cries, ask the sun to rise from the west Tell the trees to shed their leaves, ask the snow to fall in June - to mourn my dear Aunty The rain will fall half way; the roses will bloom in winter The seas will sink their waves; avalanches will slide up the hill In your remembrance Aunty, the angels will blow their clarions; the Levites will cease their incest calls Prophets will twist in half their staff, flags of temples will fly in half-mast As Aunty Adeline travels with the angels The you we remember: your maternal compassions, your love, your spirit of giving The you we’ll always love: your down to earth in appearance and thoughts The you we’ll always adore: the humility portrayed, your services to God The you we were fond of: your comic love and teddy affection The you that made you great: your belief, faith in Christ and worship of God Aunty, where are you now? We hope you are far away among the stars, well beyond the reach of mortal men A place seen only in vignette, behind a hollow hue, not mere vision A place where black and white is cold, silence sounds of everything Everyone did and not told and nothing bought and nothing sold A place where empties are full, colours dark that is always clear A place so simple it’s complex, that every far is so near A place where time and light is measured, by seconds and its passing pace The last visiting place of each being, the answers beyond our gene OUR DEAREST ANTY, MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE Dr Ade Adeagbo