belief is but a leaf severed from the tree

belief is but a leaf severed from the tree

 

 

 

i curl up in velvet etchings

apparel by special design

adorned by gold and silver lies

 

in a coma of great wealth

i sing in my sleep

of mysteries deep

 

then at heaven's gate

i am in tattered t-shirt

and ratty jeans

 

disfigured remnant

of a self i only dreamed

i thought i was that face in the mirror

 

but understand now

that "death (really) is not proud"

and arrogance disrobes

 

when we inherit

only a soul's fortune

with our final breath.

 

 

erin-cilberto

2/26/23

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

“belief is but a leaf severed from the tree”…such a profound line.
So glad you are back here writing J. and as great a Master Class Poet Laureate caliber as ever… Yes, Questions of life and death and faith that go unanswered… It’s a personal choice to believe what we will- no rights or wrongs here. Belief can go by so many other names - as unique as each one of us. Exquisite metaphors, imagery, flow, message. While we live, (or maybe after as well), what we choose to believe is each of our individual truth.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Annette,
j.

[Relic]

I'm always back and forth like many when it comes to religion and the afterlife. I can only hope there's somewhere that's really beautiful where family and friends will meet again. But even if I have faith and death turns out to be nothing but darkness..I'll never know anyway.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

your last line is so true...we won't know anyway.
thank you, Relic,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

belief is but a leaf severed from the tree

How fragile a solitary leaf can be J. I am a solitary leaf when it comes to faith. Not knowing or having faith in what comes after my last breath. Wanting to believe but so very very doubting. I mean all faiths believe their version is best and the rest can go to hell. Well , we come with nothing and leave with nothing. We won’t know until the time comes.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I understand that "wanting to believe"
Emily Dickinson wished she could.
thank you, Chris,
j.

[willweb]

I guess my thought is, do we actually leave or are we still hanging around somewhere? I guess we won't know as long as we can type comments on this site. Or maybe....

[jacob erin-cilberto]

that is something to think about, will. "Or maybe..."

[AYVID N]

Came with nothing and nothing taken. Perhaps, a rich span on earth, but at death all the hubris left behind. Taken away, just the weight of a few good deeds.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we hope the good deeds outweigh the bad.
thank you, divya,
j.

[LeannaE]

Nice writing, I enjoyed reading this one. I'm new, and not quite sure how to rate, so you get 100.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Leanna,
j.

[W. Barrett Munn]

I’ve always thought the people who claim “you can’t take it with you” have obviously not heard of travelers’ checks.

Winston

[jacob erin-cilberto]

don't leave this earth without them!

thank you, Winston,
j.

[andrew mitchell]

I just cannot comprehend that we live our lives in the promise that there will be an afterlife as a reward. I read a story where a monkey was offered all the bananas in the afterlife if he gave up the one banana he had with him. He chose to keep the banana.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

there is hope of an afterlife...but is there one?
a question to be answered once we get there.
j.