The Flowers Before I’m Gone
My friend Svadesh wrote this poem in response to his recent heart attack and the resultant outpouring of love and protest from his friends. I must say, we’re awfully glad his mortal conglomeration decided to stay conglomerate for a while longer. As conglomerations go, ’tis one of the very finest.
I didn’t know before it happened
You brought the flower to my door
My funeral had begun
The voices intoning their concern—
Their love.
On the gurney you don’t know
Your fate, the part of breath you’ll be next hour
The mechanical magician working on my form
While I watch the rivers and brooks of my heart
On television
And then,
Back into this body once again
Feeling the life
The way I like it.
Your emotions and thoughts trekking through unseen space
Touch me tenderly with that feeling we all know so well
And forget and remember … again and again.
Thank you dear friends
No wake for this mortal conglomeration now
The funeral has been delayed so further experience
I may gather on the soul’s path into the great unknown.
Svadesh