JE Misz attends Waterford Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana. You can read more of his poetry at jemisz.wordpress.com. All Souls Day, a day set aside to honor and remember individuals who have died, is November 2. 

When I die
I want you to laugh

Like a fall out your chair
Feet in the air
Deep, deep belly laugh
And may the memories of our play
Curve a smile on your face

I want you to sing
Maybe slightly off-key
And listen for the dissonance
Just know that it’s ok if you never sing on pitch again
And it’s ok if you do

When I die
I want you to cry
And catch each tear that falls from your eyes
Bottle them up, and when there is enough
I want you to use them to water our garden
So you can see that life can spring from grief
And that faith is more than belief
You can taste it, and watch it bloom

When I die
I want you to eat

Maybe some blackberries
Because you love blackberries
And we never kept them in the house
Because they cost too much
But don’t worry about that now
Just let your hands and tongue get black and blue
From something sweet

When I die
I want you to rest
And then I want you to wake up
And then I want you to rest
And then I want you to wake up
And then I want you to rest
And then I want you to wake up
Until you can take this clay cup
And drink the fray up
Until you don’t have to rely
On trying anymore

And I still want you to laugh

Because when I die,
I want you to dance in the kitchen
I want you to play in the park
I want you to sit in the sunset
Watch the stars light the dark

I want you to fight
I want you to scream
I want you to hope
I want you to dream

I want you to love and be loved
To take and to give

For when I die
When I die
I want you to live
I just want you to live