Why this word is great
BIERBALK — [Noun] A church road, such as a path across fields, designated for funeral processions. From Middle English bier ("a stand for a coffin or corpse") + balk ("an unplowed strip of land"), it is a corridor of solemn purpose, a ribbon of earth left fallow for the dead. Unlike a "footpath" (which meanders for pleasure) or a "right of way" (which serves utility), the bierbalk is a transient scar in the landscape, pressed into service only when needed. It is the muted tread of mourners in single file, the dew-heavy grass parting for the weight of the coffin, the way back always lighter than the way there—a reminder that even the earth makes room for endings.