Tag Archives: death
Beauty of Grief
Where is the beauty found in grief
when the eyes swell up without relief
and spill in torrents over cheeks?
when snot runs thick filling tissue upon tissue
and sobs are wrought of unresolved issues?
Where is the beauty found in grief
where emotions steal time like a skillful thief
rejecting what is, without relief?
An alteration of time, of space
pilfered from the “what was” place?
Where is the beauty found in grief
a loving acknowledgement of the deceased
acceptance of the transition to their newborn peace
One breath forward in the journey of healing
At the altar of death knelt keening
Pass it onward!
The Last Birthday
For Alan England
We gathered in joy to celebrate
92 years of adventures
We ate carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
He ate a whole slice
Small forkfuls gifted
I gave him nourishment of body
Refreshment of spirit
Asked questions of his life
Heard stories of his rescue
From a cave from a read report
From a caving buddy
Decades of friendship revealed
Small and barely loud enough to hear
The man approaching his history, laughed at himself,
Surrounded by love and tenderness
Exuded by his blessed daughters,
Cherished by friends
A relaxed camaraderie blossomed
Filling the room, breaking through the windows into the wooded view
We celebrated his life joyfully
By showing up in loving attention.
Pass it onward!
Be With What Was
I cling to his hand while he clings to life
His view is the woodland with death his midwife
His eyes see something I cannot comprehend
Each finished stage whispers goodbye
Wordlessly he measures towards his inevitable end
While sorrow bows my head, trying not to cry
Time spent together fills my thoughts undaunted
“Be with what was.” My spirit tells me quietly
Flooding me with memories, what I knew of him is wanted
I reject the wisdom I am given, holding on to him defiantly
His breathing rustles his lungs so deeply, erratic in its spurts
He’s giving in completely, “Oh Adonai, this hurts!”
Pass it onward!
TAMP: Honorarium
From the forest comes the howl
Loam of earth’s dead rise
Ascending lift of sacred fowl
Imminent his demise
The snort of buck calls to a doe
A blue jay alarms the wood
Hastened river onward flows
The frigid dusk holds good.
A witness to the story
He is silent in the still
Accolades and glory
Abandoned from his will
His legacy is found abiding
In maple, in walnut, or oak
His spirit freely residing
Among his beloved folk.
From the forest comes the howl
Loam of nature’s rise
Ascending lift of sacred fowl
The undertaking of goodbyes.
Pass it onward!
The Heir
You were a human being
With a life as precious as my own
But, I’m alive and you are not
To me a path was shown
I’ve inherited your voices
I’m heir to your bright beacon
I will not turn away
My resolve will never weaken
I spend my inheritance freely
With loud pride from your source
I magnify it ideally
Your oppression no longer enforced
The lynching tree will bear no fruit
The crucifixion of branches
Will decay, not take root
It’s time to play with matches
Pass it onward!
The Visitor
I saw the shadow of death holding your hand at your bedside.
You couldn’t see me because you were seeing what it showed you.
Your breath came in sharp sudden bursts as if you were forgetting how
The blankets were white like your skin, clean
But contrary to the warmth they offered, you cooled
I greeted you by name, nodded to death, said a prayer of comfort.
The blue of your gown shrouded your emaciation
I stood next to you whispering words of loving comfort
As I took my leave, you prepared your own version.
Tomorrow, it’s likely I will see the rising sun.
Tomorrow, you will offer your hosanna to God in person
Pass it onward!
Departure
The vivid light of the dawning day
brought warmth, unexpected,
in an unusual way.
Relinquished labor past
silence in the brightness
among the spirits now cast
Peace found in the holy hour
grief intensifies exponentially
revealing its raw power
The request has been distilled
Absent heartbeat in the once vital body
The dash has now been fulfilled
Pass it onward!
EOL Doula
With trepidation I wait
Better too soon
than way too late
Asking answers of unskilled sight
Maybe so
Maybe tonight
Indecision holds me fast
Supportive heart
as he breathes his last
But will my service be enough
to smooth the edges
of the emotional rough?
Will I be able to be a guide
through the darkness
with my brilliant light?
Will it be enough to attend
the final hour
the welcomed end?
Pass it onward!
Unwound
I’ve been staring out the window
Waiting for the sound of your ride
But the clock kept on ticking
Wasting the hours
As I could do nothing but cry
You never came home again
Never said hello again
Never heard the sound of my pain
All of the broken bits
Scattered like shards
As I kept on screaming your name
The last words you said to me
Echoed inside my brain
“I’ll always love you.” You said.
I’m wrapped in these blankets now
Cold in this unholy shroud
Facing the three AM dread
Everyone whispers
Offers their sympathies
Telling me I will get through
But I can not listen to all of their symphonies
While I keep Pretending they’re you
Mare Martell 