if i die young it will be
at 95 surrounded
by friends and family
as we take afternoon tea
there will be champagne on ice
lovely luscious lemon squares
salty spicy-hot cheese straws
slices of soft sweet pound cake
i will hold court from my bed
swathed with sheer silk canopies
as yards of laughter cut from
the bolt of my life fade to
endless stories born of our
intertwined lives braided of
love woven into fine cloth
i will smile sip tea wait to
take sweet kisses from each of you
hold your warm hands in mine
cool now as i feel myself
fade grow smaller
sunshine will shimmer through thin
curtains as it begins its
descent bathing our faces
in soft light of my dying
i will love you forever
© 2011 cj Schlottman
16 comments:
95 is a grand age. I have a scientist pal where I used to write and he just celebrated his 97th birthday. He said he can't die yet, he wants to stick around for his 100th~! I belive him, too.
This is lovely, would be nice to be able to control how and when we pass wouldn't it. Be nice if everyone was happy for us... to let go with lots of love.
now this is the way I'd like to go surrounded by loved ones and the foods I haven't eaten in years
Love it - thanks for your visits
Wonderful poem that makes death feel a little more friendly. And why not? The love does remain.
=)
PS. "Yards of laughter cut from the bolt of my life" is my favorite line.
I love love love this! I see the young at 95 and above and I say yes yes yes! I work doign hair for our young sniors in a salon in a assisted home and the youngest I have done is 107! Yes this is the life of a young woman at any age. Love it!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful write.
Blessings
This is beautiful. The images are striking, it felt as though the air between the poem and I turned amber for a bit - I saw the canopies moving!
Wonderful work!
This is such a beautiful piece of writing, prompt or no prompt. What a wonderful vision and told so well. I really loved this.
Well done! x
That is beautiful. Thanks for coming by to visit and comment on my blog. That lead me to this wonderful poem.
That made me cry. How beautiful. Just beautiful...
Ah, a lovely take on death - I was in the room with you. A delicate glimpse into a very private moment. As this is so moving I am not sure why I choose to tell you the following but...
Having just taken my mother's shopping order from her (she is almost 86 and I order online) she bemoaned the fact that she needed a new carpet but said it isn't as though she needs a hard wearing one particularly - "I am not likely to be around in a hundred years!" she laughed.
"Well, I certainly wont be, so if you are, you'll have to get someone else to do your shopping," I told her. Oh dear, I can be heartless!
CJ, this is beautiful!!! So, if I live long enough, will you invite me to the party?
i particularly like the lack of fear as you aspire to, that to me is the golden truth here. i mean, obviously we can't predict our deaths, as we know, but the pretty details you poetically put together assembled an ancient reality for me: passage.
the grateful dead did a song with a similar flavor:)
here from ayala's place.
Reading this made my day. I love "i will hold court from my bed /
swathed with sheer silk canopies /
as yards of laughter cut from
the bolt of my life fade to
endless stories born of our
intertwined lives" The imagery is stunning
great write cj! no one desreves to die young really.. tq for sharing.. my gooseberry.. http://fiveloaf.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/helpless/
I love this poem! And I want to die that young and in just that way, myself! Thank you for writing it! :o)
this is so wonderful both my Grandmothers died at 96 this is such a great poem
http://gatelesspassage.com/2011/09/19/my-world/#comment-972
This is a beautiful poem. Would that we all could look toward the end of our life and see in it laughter and peace. Outstanding thoughts well penned!
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