Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Arts & CulturePoetryFebruary 2021 issue

Your Presence Is Requested

MK PunkyJanuary 21, 2021

When invitations arrived on consecutive days
for two funerals
both friends
one a lover
he pawed through his closet
like a bear in a blackberry bramble
and found his one black suit
unsuitable for public consumption
delicious to moths with an appetite for tropical weight wool
keen to teach their evolutionary superiors
the infinite depth
inside a newly announced hole

More: Poems / Poetry
MK Punky

MK Punky is the author of the novel Year 14, the memoirs The Smart Money and The Unexpected Guest, and the travelogue Ella in Europe.

Provide feedback on this article

We don’t have comments turned on everywhere anymore. We have recently relaunched the commenting experience at America and are aiming for a more focused commenting experience with better moderation by opening comments on a select number of articles each day.

But we still want your feedback. You can join the conversation about this article with us in social media on Twitter or Facebook, or in one of our Facebook discussion groups for various topics.

Or send us feedback on this article with one of the options below:

We welcome and read all letters to the editor but, due to the volume received, cannot guarantee a response.

In order to be considered for publication, letters should be brief (around 200 words or less) and include the author’s name and geographic location. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

We open comments only on select articles so that we can provide a focused and well-moderated discussion on interesting topics. If you think this article provides the opportunity for such a discussion, please let us know what you'd like to talk about, or what interesting question you think readers might want to respond to.

If we decide to open comments on this article, we will email you to let you know.

If you have a message for the author, we will do our best to pass it along. Note that if the article is from a wire service such as Catholic News Service, Religion News Service, or the Associated Press, we will not have direct contact information for the author. We cannot guarantee a response from any author.

We welcome any information that will help us improve the factual accuracy of this piece. Thank you.

Please consult our Contact Us page for other options to reach us.

City and state/province, or if outside Canada or the U.S., city and country. 
When you click submit, this article page will reload. You should see a message at the top of the reloaded page confirming that your feedback has been received.

Most popular

1
Bishop J. Gregory Kelly named to Texas diocese after Pope Francis removed Bishop Strickland
Gina Christian - OSV News
2
Confessions of a Catholic in an Advent funk
Brandon Ambrosino
3
Dear Catholic Boomers: Don’t get too comfortable during Trump’s next four years
Valerie Schultz
4
Trump names CatholicVote’s Brian Burch as next Holy See ambassador
Kate Scanlon - OSV News
5
Should you stand or kneel to receive communion? Cardinal Cupich stirs debate after weighing in
Kevin Clarke

Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more.

President of Catholic Theological Union
Jobs
Canisius High School
Education, High Schools
Maggie’s Place
Volunteer / Vocation
Take Home Fifty Writers, Thinkers, and Firebrands!
Books
Director of Ignatian Training Programs
Jobs
See all Classifieds

The latest from america

Pope Francis reads his speech to officials of the Roman Curia and the College of Cardinals during his annual pre-Christmas meeting with them in the Hall of Blessing above the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Dec. 21, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Pope Francis delivers Christmas greeting to Roman Curia: ‘Speak well of others’
In Francis’ 12th Christmas address to the Roman Curia, he reminded them, “An ecclesial community lives in joyful and fraternal harmony to the extent that its members walk the path of humility.”
Gerard O’ConnellDecember 21, 2024
When and where to watch Pope Francis’ Christmas liturgies
With the opening of the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis’ schedule of liturgies in December and January has expanded.
Catholic News ServiceDecember 20, 2024
Trump names CatholicVote’s Brian Burch as next Holy See ambassador
President-elect Donald Trump on Dec. 20 announced his intention to appoint Brian Burch, currently the president of CatholicVote, as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.
Kate Scanlon - OSV NewsDecember 20, 2024
Bishop J. Gregory Kelly named to Texas diocese after Pope Francis removed Bishop Strickland
Despite his removal, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland has remained an outspoken detractor of Pope Francis, both online and at various events organized by Catholic laity opposed to the Holy Father.
Gina Christian - OSV NewsDecember 20, 2024