Death Will Come

1991 Image: Original collage / painting

Death will come
like a sweet white rose
or a gift with wrappings
that will slowly enclose me
and ribbons to strangle
and bows

Death will come
with thorns to pierce
my black heart

A surprise party
an unexpected prize
and I honoured in mahogany
or teak
take a peek
before flames enfold me
and I depart

I have always equated annihilation
with crashing through dead walls
and wanting to stay

But death will come
while I still waiting
am hating the silence
and fate will take me
calmly away
without a sound

Reviews

[Epipsychologist]

Crashing through walls and wanting to stay is a good way to think about it.

Also, the realistic shades of the vase and flower in your painting juxtapose the less definite vivid flowers in the background. I feel like it gives the effect of death being the only certainty in life. Its an excellent painting to accompany this poem, which is in its own right very good.