Oh, Lord, that scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral, when Matthew reads Auden’s “Funeral Blues.” I cried when I first saw it. I still cry every time I watch it:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come

[read the entire poem here]

When my father died unexpectedly, I thought of that scene. Continue reading →