Undertaker's Jargon

Undertaker's jargon.
Is there anything more horrid
To the living?

'Cross-sticks,'
And 'caterfault'.

Spoken with a certain mouth sound,
As if he'd just consumed
Fruit chutney
With cheese
On a digestive biscuit.



(Cross-sticks are the rods that run across an open grave to suspend the coffin before it is lowered into the ground on straps. A caterfault is the place where the coffin stands during the funeral service. It usually has rollers to allow the coffin to be moved; it may also descend into the basement below the church to permit loading/unloading of coffins.)