Poems on Death - River Dancing on the River Styx and I May Be Six Feet Under

I'm dubbing 2011 as "The Year of Death". My reasons are that I've heard of so many deaths this year, and seen my mother attend funerals almost every week for our more distant relatives. One of the deaths that occurred was my grandmother's. I also watched a close friend lose her father to illness. Yesterday (Saturday 10th of December 2011) I attended another funeral, that of my uncle. I am wondering about the death toll this year. Gathering from my experiences and the news, perhaps we have hit some sort of record high. Some of the doomsayers are probably saying that this is just the prelude to the many deaths and/or end of the world scheduled to occur next year. According to this, maybe it's the lucky ones who were spared the pain and chaos of next year who were granted an early "flight".

Personally, I don't believe the world will end next year. However, certain events have lead me to begin to see that some sort of change is occurring in the world. Maybe it's several changes... The beginning of the collapse of the current economic and financial systems? A spiritual awakening? Extreme climate change?

Changes are inevitable. I'm writing about death for a change. Here's to living and here's to dying!

Thanks for taking the time out of your life to read something that I wrote. Maybe someday I'll write something that we can take to the death.

Enjoy!

Here comes the boat and it's driver.

Charon has taken my change

for the fair,

and off we go.

I was told I'd meet

old celebrities

loved ones

and all the great people

I know.

Well, I'm on the boat

and anxious to see

if it's true

and I'll embrace them

should it be so.

I can't help but move

my feet

my whole being

shaking

and I'm alive

although I'm surely lacking

a heartbeat.

If I still had a heart

it would be thumping hard and fast.

I can't wait to get to the other side

of the river

it'll be such a treat.

Oh, but we've stopped

for a detour.

On a yacht, they're all waiting

newcomers like me

Charon stops the boat

exclaims:

"I'll have to leave you here.

You have fun.

I must go fetch more."

It looks like the party is getting full

there's too many of us this year.

No matter,

because the party's hot

they'll want to join

for sure.

And so the music grows loud.

And the sails are up

souls are tapping.

I'm beginning to recognise a few faces

in a moment so joyful and proud.

We're river dancing on the River Styx

all have lost control

and forgotten that which became of us

in all this bliss.

Goodbye life

and taking off the shroud.

Oh! We're a-river dancing on the River Styx

up and down

to and fro

jumping high and bending low.

Oh! We're a-river dancing on the River Styx!

But, might I ask

I must inquire

if this is the prelude to the consequence

of a life that was dire

and an introduction set by a funeral pyre

what, my friends

comes after the celebrations?

What is on the other end of the river?

No answer.

Don't we know.

We have this moment,

Of lost spirits -

it's a wonderful show.

We may burn beyond

or fly above.

Either way, it's of no concern

because we're dancing now

we're a-river dancing!

We're river dancing on the River Styx!

© Maja Dezulovic 2011

I may be six feet under, but

I'm ten feet tall!

I risked my life, my heart

and lost it all.

I lived my life full of fire,

I was good to people

although I claimed my desires.

I was loved and had love

never asking for too much

or taking for granted what I was given

by someone I was taught to refer to as

The Lord Above.

I may be six feet under, but

I'm ten feet tall!

I stood my ground

never letting anyone belittle me

or make me feel small.

I may be six feet under, but

I'm ten feet tall!

Wrong or right,

I never risked my integrity

to be part of a good brawl.

I may be six feet under, but

I'm ten feet tall!

Because, wherever I'm going I'm proud

in the knowing

that I leave you with a smile.

And if you choose to miss me,

do so only for a short while.

Then live on

and regret nothing at all

so that when you come join me

we may be six feet under

but we'll both be

ten feet tall!

© Maja Dezulovic 2011