I’ve never seen a dead body before
which I’m not disappointed about,
like most people, I prefer bodies
which are alive and well
but I’ve seen death;
tasted it on the tip of my tongue.
I watched the branches of a tree
be severed with a saw
and tossed into a metal bin with kindling.
The smell wasn’t the same
as a fireplace, it was the hiss
of bark flesh crumbling,
and it stung;
creeped into my throat.
My eyes watered as the smoke rose
and caused each flower
still standing to shrink,
petals curled;
heads bowed to the soil.
I imagine this is what finding
a dead body is like;
seeing life that should be,
burning in oxygen and dust;
motionless and emotionless,
another mark left on this world
like all of the ones we are leaving
whilst we’re still living –
scorched earth, smothered sky
and a plughole in the sea.
We don’t care enough
until we bleed and taste the bitterness
of iron in our cheeks.
© Kristiana Reed 2019
We certainly are slowly killing our world and with it ourselves. I love the imagery in this and the relevance of it.
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Thank you ☺️
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You are welcome 🙂
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This is so relevant. Beautiful writing.
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Thank you 💛
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The branches of a tree severed with a saw. What an incredible visual to accompany the discussion of death.
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Thank you so much 💛
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We are all, touched by death in one way or another, sometimes, without being in the vicinity of it.
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