Our favorite depiction of Stygian ferryman Charon is in the song "Sirens, No Harbour" by Sweden's Henric de la Cour. The opening lines reveal that the speaker has entered the netherworld, and though it is not immediately clear, the speaker does not yet realize that he is dead:
I came through
the darkness;
I came through
the mist.
I heard my name
on the wind.
And here we're introduced to Charon, who is the epitome of friendliness:
Please come aboard
my humble vessel.
I will take you across
this troubled sea.
But it's Charon's safety spiel that we most appreciate, like an airline's "In the event of a water landing" instructions. He is gently, indirectly suggesting that something will happen to his passenger, to help his passenger come to terms with having expired:
If something should happen,
if the sea should claim you,
please give my regards
to the fish of the deep.
If you get lonesome
in the abyss,
close your eyes;
part your lips.