funeral

today i went to the funeral of my friend elena lozinskaya, who passed away last saturday. the services were in rockland county, new york (which made me think endlessly of i am with you in rockland--although i think ginsberg intended a different place) in a beautiful russian orthodox church that was also the grounds for a convent. apparently, the cemetery is the restful home for many former russian aristocrats who emigrated from russia, including the family of tolstoy.

a peaceful drive mostly, aside from a frantic 30 minute accidental detour. a nice, quiet ceremony, too. maybe i haven't been to enough funerals for the novelty of them to subside, but i am always fascinated by the ritual of burying the dead and find myself focusing mainly on those thoughts during the process.