The 40th Day

Today is the 40th day since my mother died. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the 40th day is the official end of the mourning period, referencing the Ascension occurring 40 days after Easter. For the 40 days following death, it is believed the person has not officially left this world completely, and may still visit their homes, their graves and their loved ones. After this day, the deceased has now officially moved on. Clothes can be given away to the poor and the house cleaned out.
  The 40thDay
No more visitsto the urn,to the frozen grave, still undug,
to the closetwhere the clothes still hang,to the shoes and belt
still laid outfor the next daythat never came,
to the bed on which she laid downthat morning
and from whichshe never rose again.Now is the time
to rise up,to go onwarddeeper into
the mysterious colorthat deepens and shimmersand goes on and on.
It is time to shut the door, to turn out the light,to turn away
and move onfrom what was oncefamiliar
and is now awkwardand strange.It is time
 to goand leave behindthe urn
the closetthe bedthe shoes and belt
the one whostands thereempty-handed
and bewildered and staringblankly
into the gathering duskand all it holds.
—Jamie Parsley