Willie The Soaper

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(Wilhelm von Ellenbogen was a resident of Philadelphia who allegedly died of yellow fever in 1792.  When the grave was moved, the body was found to have turned into adicopere, a type of soap.  He was kept in a glass box about 3 feet off the ground, nude except for his stockings. He has been removed from display, and there is reason to believe no one knows if any of this is true. No one of that name died at the time, and there was no yellow fever epidemic in Philly in 1792.  I think some freak was out digging up graves just to see what happened).
 
 
 Ode To Wilhelm Von Ellenbogen
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Ah, my friends, when we must die,

and in the ground are placed to lie

Exult! Do not lament

Eventual return to firmament.

For naturally tissue must give way

and become again more basic clay.

     Out of the eater,

     Out of the meat

     Out of the strong came the sweet.

Just think.

The dead, you and me,

Might someday relive as a tree.

Our bodies drain into the earth

awaiting a new life, rebirth.

For the drink we take to slake our thirst,

was once used by another, first.

And this is right, to be desired-

Blood is not owned but only hired.

Or give your body to a flame

As form and nothing are the same.

However-

If like Pharaoh, one must

attempt to try and hold their dust,

in remembered and beloved shape

to stay forever a heedless ape-

Caveat.

The shell just may be found

and excavated from the ground.

And placed, knee-high, behind a glass

amusing those who see and pass

And marvel that you have your socks

And entertain within your box.

A horrid fate.  I would not cope

With transformation into soap.

Heed these words, for all is vain.

Best be absorbed and live again.

For if entropy you would inhibit-

You might stay on as an exhibit.


(When I wrote this all those years ago, I thought "firmament" meant the Earth.  I have not been able to come up with anything else that fits, so I guess we're stuck with it.  We are made out of star matter after all, even though the next couplet contradicts this. Every thing I do wrong is someone else's fault).

 https://youtu.be/xsmw_vJcMyU

Hotcha!

Nat-ti's avatar
https://www.deviantart.com/nat-ti

The lovely and very learned nat-ti found this-

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-curious-case-of-mrs-ellenbogen/ 

which I should have found, dammit.  Kudos to you, nat-ti!


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