Ashes to Ashes

Over at Abbey of the Arts, Christine once again welcomes us to a poetry party where she posts a picture and invites us to submit a poem. The theme this time is Ashes to Ashes. All are welcome to come and read (or post).

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,

From dust we are, to dust return.

By caskets standing,

We hear the words

from priest

or preacher..

or from

God.

Melancholy though it is,

Our lives are frail

and short

and gone

as if

They never were.

When leaves are green and life is new

No thoughts of life's brief mystery!

Our bodies feel the green

of life

And live false immortality!

As life goes past and we begin

to feel the brevity of time,

We know the truth

of "dust we are..."

And wait for when

our time

Will come.

Sometimes through fear,

or grief or pain,

Sometimes through darkness

Leaves grow dry

Now life is dim and dust

and ash,

Sweet green becomes a memory.

And as the strength of nascent life

Turns brown and crisp

and fleeting, blown

by winds of time and loss and age

Our souls begin

to long

for Home.

As we release

The trees of earth,

Our fragile frame,

"this mortal coil"

From dust we are,

To dust we go,

O Death, your

breath

is cold!

But wait,

This earthly phase is not

Our final place of bursting green!

We feel the surge of life and growth

and fresh hope of Infinity.

Yes, dust we are,

Yet hidden here,

Divine spark of eternity!

To dust we are, to ashes go...

Eternal Tree of Life begins!