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.

[R J Askew]

Very strong and dramatic imagery. I love the notion of the nightmareish dilemma. It is a terrible dilemma, but from a writing point of view you nail it perfectly. Anyone reading this with an imagination will tremble at the thought of being faced with this choice. The writing is tight, no words wasted.

[Beautifully Tragic xPoe..]

I love your words in this right. A mix of religion and darkness has always been intriging to me. I can't say I actually fear death, when the time is right it's time to go. But I think with this piece, you have accomplished the fear in the reader's mind about death. Splendid read. Great write!

[Tate Morgan]

Fear of death thank fully doesn't bother me . I am bothered by bible thumping .So i can relate to your experience. I was raised a catholic and the reference to drinking blood has always sickened me like cannibalism. Great rewrite

Great! Amazing! Just got lost in it... thanks for such a great piece.

[M Garcia]

Great write. Evocative (hope that is spelled right). It makes you stop and think about life and death and what there is.

[blakjassy]

This is a very powerful piece, I didn't see the earlier version so I can't comment on the revision of it.

The imagery is very powerful... anyone who has grown up with any degree of religious education or bible thumping will relate to the messages contained here! well done, this is a very clever and evocative piece of writing

[Ruth]

This is one of the best things I have ever read! Nevermind today, I mean in total! Excellent work love! And I can truly feel this! Every word/image slithers through my being...taking me to plains of unsettled distortion...fabulous! xx

[Melissa Edmunds]

wow, very moving. this makes you stop and think about life and death in a different perspective.

[Vinod Kumar U K]

Wonderful write......

[Branch Isole]

Fear, Death and the Prince of Darkness; all images of consternation for the apostate among us.