Death's memento mori

Thank you Rick for helping me with this revision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(((Flashback)))

 

As a young child on a Sunday morning, I remember the preacher man saying:

 

"God help the soul that refuses to drink from the blood of the lamb!"

You were born into this world as nothing more than a dirty thumbprint."

 

"God will spit, WIPE, and then you're gone........................"

 

 

I'm 33 now, trying to live life as a non-believer.

The bible thumping left a bad taste in my mouth.

This gives me peace, to not be wrapped up in scripture.

If I don't believe in God, then there must be no HELL.

 

 

********************************

 

 

I never saw the bullet coming, I just remember running!

I cradled my head as my mortality dripped with red.

And then I saw him, like a thief in the night. 

God help me, what a hideous site!

 

Death's memento mori, he mocked me in his decay,

his shadowed hands eclipsing my verve.

Expired......I began to see the dead; feel the unheard.

 

My vital force, displaced in his world, I awoke.

I stood to behold, Death's wealthy estate,

material goods and souls without fate.

All of this merchandised, and shelved with a date. 

 

Then suddenly.........

he gave out a SHOUT!

"Choose" he said. 

"But choose wisely!"

 

He began to showcase before me

an interesting meal, hot off an offering plate.

A devil's pact seasoned with silver and gold

representing the covenant, waiting to be sold.

 

And this is what I saw:

 

A tree of life

demoralized,

sprouting images of fear.

 

An offer of exchange:

one more year of MY life

for my daughter of eight

 

Or...........

 

A return to earth

as a paralytic, mute

and deaf in my ears.

 

Death seemed annoyed, as I turned in disgust.

Feeling desperate now, my eyes wondered over to a 

carpenter's cup covered in time, covered in dust.

 

Thirsty and dry.............I began to cry.

 

"Can I see?"

 

"May I drink?" 

 

Death handed over his "mirage" of a cup.

Inside I saw many visions; the sacrifice of the living Christ.

Wine prepared and shared at the last supper. 

I could see the sacrificial lamb.

I could see the fountain of life. 

 

I was about to take a sip when Death said,

 

"It's too late to drink from this cup!"

 

He grabbed it away.................

 

"Pick your plate."

 

"You had your chance!"

 

"You're mine now!"

 

"Eat up!"

Author's Note

I have Rick Puetter to thank for this rewrite. He tore this poem apart with love, and dared me to be bolder with the message. I don't care what your religious beliefs are. I wrote this to envoke a certain kind of fear. Despite all our many differences, fear of death is something we can all relate too.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it is ironic...we can claim a disbelief in a supreme being...in heaven and hell...but as death draws nearer...even as we age and see the possibility of our mortality..

there comes this fear we cannot always explain..but we know what it is don't we.

this is a terrific write..a terrific battle between good and evil...and between belief and atheism.

jacob

[Muse]

Wanna hear something ironic? A talented writer by the name of Rick Puetter helped me rewrite this, and he has told me on more than one occasion...that he is athiest. And it was he...that dared me to push the envelope.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you pushed it, stamped it and sent it...

that is interesting...

[Muse]

it shows that Rick has character.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it does.

[Muse]

he's not on my friend's list anymore...his intellegence, way over my head. But..I respect him.

[EMF]

Yea Gods... That possibly outstrips every horror movie I've ever seen. Tougher that most novels or text books I've ever read and was a stark and brutal poem, of supreme excelence. The imagry alone is without par and the language flew off the page. As alive as anthing can be without smashing its way out of the screen and crawling across the keyboard

[Eagle Cruagh]

God bless !

----Eagle Cruagh

[Leslie Philibert]

Lot`s of powerful imagery, fitting to a real big subject like religion and death.
I`ll read more of your work.Well done.
Loved the last line ...Eat up....somehow full of threats,a mixture of motherly love
and dominance.

[Inyourshadow]

Nay I am a spiritulist and know death is only the next step when we cast off these worn out garments but was raised Church of England and taught to fear the fire and brimstone and to this day still do for I know there's a better place waiting and hence there must also be an alternative. Love the ending and the options given all because you wouldn't drink lol. Keep em' coming

[Coyote Poetry]

I believe forgiveness could be hard to find if you decide the wrong road. I like the strong beginning and the amazing ending to this poem. Made the poem have life and told a powerful story. The poem can open doors to question too? I like the complete poem. A very good ending to a outstanding poem.
Coyote

[Sethnicity]

This is very intense.... and I love the imagery.
I'm not sure what it was like before rick but the collab is really strong great way to lead the reader on all through the piece.
Very Well done. and makes a former bible tapper like me wanna take a few more taps..

[Larry Dyson]

most excellent write...no matter a persons belief system.. yours is portrayed very well and voiced dominantly ..I would thank Rick again ..he knows where to stretch your horizons...even more poigniant now...

[SpokenWord]

Even in the end we have choice but maybe from a limited menu. I didn't get to read the original version but this one is bold and concise with the message being told. It doesn't matter the religion the thing is we have choices we make every day and maybe we make them with false belief of being safe and secure and I have to wonder how our choices would change if we weren't so sure of being on earth tomorrow. for the religion this comes from it is a true testament to the choice we are giving and the time allotted to pick. Great write Muse it was inspiring and hard hitting. Eat up indeed.

[Just Cat]

Wow wow wow... This is an almost terrifying piece written with such a passion!
I love the message, the imagery, even though I'm a none believer in God and Christ, but I'm so impressed by this piece! It's ruthless, thought provoking and vivid! I'm not afraid of death, just of how it comes and what comes after it.
Brilliant work!