Stevie Smith
Lockdown,  Musings,  Poetry,  Writing

Not Clapping, but dying

I’ve always loved Stevie Smith’s poem “Not Waving but drowning“. I was delighted to hear Frank Skinner’s new poetry podcast which speaks of it in depth (I can recommend the podcast by the way). On hearing some awful Covid related news this week, I was reminded of it once more…So I hope my re-appropriation is seen as it is intended as a small tribute to a Man I only met a couple of times, but has left such a hole in people’s lives that I am close to……

Not Clapping, but dying

Nobody heard him, the dead man,   

But still he lay weeping:

I was much further gone than you thought   

And not clapping but dying.

Poor chap, he always loved laughing

And now he’s dead

It must have been too sad for him his heart just broke,   

They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too sad always   

(Still the dead one lay weeping)   

I was much too nice for all my life   

And not clapping but dying.