Ditch the ads, upload images and much more - upgrade today from 5.95/month!
Read Contests Groups Learn Forums Store Help
 

Danse Macabre (The Dance of Death)






Life is a dance, the steps laid out for us
all we need do is follow until the music ends

From the moment we take our first breath
we are dying one day at a time
drawing closer to the final chord

Each emotion we feel, a spin or twirl
one day a slow foxtrot, the next a jumping jive
ever growing, ever changing, mostly to the beat

Every man, woman and child must take their turn
rich and poor, no matter the colour of your skin
all of you must follow where he leads

Do not fear when your turn comes
and death waltzes you across the floor
feet flying as his music wraps you in it's sound

Your life was a dance; some followed, some fell by the way
so tell that devil Death you gave it your best shot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author notes


MACABRE

Word History: The word macabre is an excellent example of a word formed with reference to a specific context that has long since disappeared for everyone but scholars. Macabre is first recorded in the phrase Macabrees daunce in a work written around 1430 by John Lydgate. Macabree was thought by Lydgate to be the name of a French author, but in fact he misunderstood the Old French phrase Danse Macabre, "the Dance of Death," a subject of art and literature. In this dance, Death leads people of all classes and walks of life to the same final end. The macabre element may be an alteration of Macabe, "a Maccabee." The Maccabees were Jewish martyrs who were honored by a feast throughout the Western Church, and reverence for them was linked to reverence for the dead. Today macabre has no connection with the Maccabees and little connection with the Dance of Death, but it still has to do with death.


–adjective
1. gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible.
2. of, pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, esp. its grimmer or uglier aspect.
3. of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.

A contest entry

Please tell me what you think

    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
    Line numbers  • Invite them to read
    : no Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have (?)

Comments

1 - 5 of 5

  • Recluse Writer gold member
    December 5, 2007

    Edit | Reply
    Definitely different to your usual
    I reckon I have been doing the Twist for so long I would almost welcome a Waltz at this stage
    Well penned and much luck wished with this write.
    Twinny


    • pearl-dragon
      December 5, 2007
      Edit | Reply
      Maybe a Macarena or the hokey pokey Twinny? I wonder if he lets you sit out one or two...now there's a question
      I'm glad that you liked it

      Thelly


  • RuthKephart
    December 5, 2007

    Edit | Reply
    Wow...I believe I enjoyed your little history lesson on the word itself almost as much as I enjoyed the poem. Thank you for all that information. I love the comparison between life and death and dancing here, especially the thought of "death waltzing across the floor"! I believe if my life is a dance I'll try and pick some really long song Excellent use of the word prompt. Thank you for entering
    Ruth


    • pearl-dragon
      December 5, 2007
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you Ruth. It's strange that I received this particular word as I went to a funeral on Monday and one of the songs they played was The Dance by Garth Brooks. I at first thought it was an odd choice but someone explained to me that he had said the song was comparing our life to a dance and when I read the history of the word it seemed so appropriate to write what I did.


  • Pete Greenslade gold member
    December 5, 2007

    Edit | Reply
    excellent ,somewhat whimsical, and also quite fearless
    a quiet acceptance of our fate, whilst the dance of life must contine i love it thanks xx peter good luck bless

1 - 5 of 5