Epitaph

There is an order to mortality

ruled by etiquette and good behavior.

We write of our lives

knowing we must one day leave.

We write of our death

not knowing what lies ahead.

From the too-deep earth

to the drying-up river,

we are all only a few words away

from an epitaph.

Reviews

[Raef C. Boylan]

"There is an order to mortality
ruled by etiquette and good behavior." - put me in mind of the whole human species, queued up on a conveyor belt, politely waiting their turn to die. Also, the way in which we're expected not to mention it in so many circles...that destroys articulation on the subject, so that whenever we do try to approach death as a conversational topic, or even through art like you have here, we are out of practise and feel adrift. I don't think the social ideal can be achieved until every member has accepted the facts of their own inevitable end; life fulfillment seems an impossibility without this acceptance.
Yet, due to the rules of 'good behaviour', my statement is regarded as 'morbid'.

A really good write, Emily. It's so hard to capture mortality in language, and yet you've managed an essence of this in just a few lines. To echo W.K.K: "deceptively simple".
Poignant, inspiring and intriguing.

Thanks for posting this.

[W.k.kortas]

Where in hell did this one come from? Deceptively simple piece-- I love the second line; it's a wry little comment on how we tiptoe through life knowing that death and uncertainty is the only certainty. Spare in the best sense, makes great use of minimal verbiage.

[bluessadmood]

when we talk about our lives ,even the happiest moments ,there is always at the side of my thinking that horrible thought of death always waiting on the corner somewhere forever ready ,just like a hateful friend waiting to take you away,when we talk about death we surely had our fill from this miserable life ,but it will never go as much as to welcome it ,its hateful though its always there,no one can beat it

[Dezaraye]

These are profound words, Emily and really made me think. You do speak the truth. We so often write of life and death never knowing what words will ring true and which words will not.