A grassy sward spreads out of sight,
And there lie glossy, carven stones
In narrow, flower-dotted rows,
Stark and bare in searing sunlight.
And at the edge, the forest looms
Over the somber, plotted tombs
Where dandelion fluff alights.
Thin streams of people trickle by
That dwindle fast and slip away,
All gone before the close of day,
Leaving their dead to lonely lie.
I pray that there will never be
A cemetery plot for me
To claim my body when I die.
Lay me beneath an ancient oak.
A monolith among the trees
With mighty boughs and drifting leaves
That fall around me like a cloak,
As down beneath the forest floor
My body sleeps forevermore,
Untroubled by the woodland folk.
The singing birds will visit me,
An endless stream of passersby,
Who trill a lyric lullaby
That joins the chitters in the trees.
From heads a-tilt and tails twirled,
The scolding calls of leaping squirrels
Blend into woodland melody.
The passing deer, perhaps, will stay
And nose about my resting place,
All quiet hooves and liquid grace,
Treading my funeral bouquet.
Ferns that from the moss are springing,
O’er my grave their fronds are flinging,
In softly rustling disarray.
Slowly will wild roses twine
About my lichen-etched gravestone,
Transformed into a thorny throne,
That bramble walls closely confine
To keep all trespassers away,
But let the wild creatures play,
And on my resting place recline.
Hearken to my final plea!
When darkest journey will not keep,
When ringed around me mourners weep,
If choice at all shall rest with thee,
Beneath the soft, leaf-shaded sky,
Beneath the trees I wish to lie.
No cemetery plot for me!
A contest entry
- Pre-Write Extravaganza 3/ rhyme only by piccola.
600 points, ended October 12, 2008, 25 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Anything you want by whispernthedark.
700 points, ended November 22, 2008, 55 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - "Prewrites " + Plus by wingsofgold25.
600 points, ended November 20, 2008, 67 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Your Best Three Pre-writes by piccola.
800 points, ended November 27, 2008, 140 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - I Just Love Fantastic Titles by 2lullabyhaven.
650 points, ended December 20, 2008, 41 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - COME ONE! COME ALL! QUICKY FOR 200 PEOPLE! by Umi Juvariel.
800 points, ended January 21, 53 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - give me your silver winning poems; win gold. by epitome.
400 points, ended September 14, 31 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 17 of 17
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Excellent word choices in this piece. I feel that really tied everything together. Excellent write and good luck in my contest.
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reminds me of a write of mine "Beneath The Sod" it's not as well written as this but has kind of the same theme. This is written beautifully. thank you for entering
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I am not too fond of poems about death yet true each one must face his own as you face your's.
The flow of your poem was very good but the rhyme difficult to follow.but overall it was a good write.
Thank you for your entry good luck in the contest.
Ed. -
Wow...what a beautifully written piece (even tho it's about death") but I love you word choices and the a subtle rhyme that makes the flow flawless. Great work...beautiful piece ~
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The imagery is very good and so are the metaphors in this piece.
The ending of this was what I liked best and it was unexpected
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truly well written I love it!!
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Thank you for entering the contest, good luck.
♥
whisper
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Stunning
A beautiful story of death. "She harkens me in stlllness, she takes me in peace, takes me to that beautiful place".
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wow!!! this tis almost freaky... my ex wanted to be buried beneath an oak, i wanna b cremated, my ashes sent to those who loved me in lockets so they can always have me close to them... and the deer tis my spirit animal. i love your wording.
hugs,
georgie,
xxx -
Sweetly penned. I hope you get your wish for you plead for it open-heartedly. Hugs~ Cuddles
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You have really mastered the art of poetry. Perfect in every line! I see alot of hard work in this the reader can see and feel. Bravo!
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loved the flow of it all.nicely written
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Very good.
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The passing deer, perhaps, will stay
And nose about my resting place,
All quiet hooves and liquid grace,
Treading my funeral bouquet.
Ferns that from the moss are springing,
O’er my grave their fronds are flinging,
In softly rustling disarray.
Slowly will wild roses twine
About my lichen-etched gravestone,
Transformed into a thorny throne,
That bramble walls closely confine
To keep all trespassers away,
But let the wild creatures play,
And on my resting place recline.
GORGEOUS. -
you speak of death as if you dont fear it, which to me is a great thing. this seem like a positive poem to me on a subject that most people dont enjoy. but you did a good job with it. great write.
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Since it's in the critical comment, I do as you wish. I see a good use of metaphors and talk of nature. The subject matter is a rare one, something most don't talk about. I feel the flow is off which pulls from the emotion of your words. Overall it's good. like I said with some fine tuning it would be a masterpiece! i had to come back because I forgot to mention this. You refer to the birds as plural but as passerbys as singular. Should be passerby's.
>The singing 'birds' will visit me,
An endless stream of 'passersby',
Rose
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Ah, 'tis a wrte with which I can relate. Imagery, rhythm and rhyme are just fine. Thanks for sharing this one.
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