YVONNE by Melanie Blatt Dedicated to Yvonne Castaños who died Jan 23rd 2024. She was a raging fire who always knew how to put a smile on your face. so quick flicker of light dancing like it has a message trapped in its glass let me out almost at the end head slipping under Drowning the thread pulls slow and steady though the refusal to accept fate is tenacious unyielding is the light as it sucks its last breath flesh remains timer starts no sophistication can prevent the inevitable with the soul gone the carcass is empty pawing at stiffening limbs is futile the body will run cold the body is not the kinder it is the jar the container that trapped the flame can the soul be snuffed out? energy cannot be created or destroyed what tethers it now? what does it call home? or does it merely exist? identity gone molecules free to be inhaled by the living wandering light void of sound sensation sight baptism of the soul like magnets we call it home you nor me are never really alone as infinite as electrons we are the universe we cannot become less or more the soul is a gift from God
everlasting the carcass may rot but the flame within can only be freed am i even me are you even you or are we just we one part of a whole broken only to live mortal life nothing to finish nothing to do just be collecting memories like stars death is not human nor soul it is a shapeshifter eyes cannot see it is a word to describe unknown our imagination of an end we invented a state of being we apply it without meaning death is not cruel is not an enemy it is certain make friends with death walk with him and listen he understands life better than the living there’s no preventing the rain nothing will prevent pain to lose is to have had and we are designed to want want more memories more time yet all the same shelter ourselves and others from pain understand the irreplaceable in the world full of fluff people cannot be resuscitated like a phone if we break you will not find us in a store mourn for the ones you lose for time love and gratitude
THE POST GRAD GAZETTE, FEBRUARY 13, 2024
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