Dancing with the reaper – poem

This poem is one of the first which I wrote and felt that it ‘worked’.   I don’t have a formula when it comes to writing.  Sometimes I am inspired by something that I have read.  Sometimes by an observation or experience.  Some poems are worked and re-worked over and over and still miss the mark.   The night before writing this I had a dream about the grim reaper and death but it wasn’t a bad dream.  I cannot sing nor have any musicality but now and then when I have a poem in my mind I will, make up a tune and sing the words, that way the flow is natural and rhythm works itself out.

DANCING WITH DEATH

I’m dancing with the reaper

and he is keeping time

Holding me so firmly

his movements flow to mine

He says

He held me since the cradle

he sang me lullabies

he said

wear joy and sorrow casually

they’re just a thin disguise

He sings

Dust you are

dust

You have no control

Ash you are

ash

in the passions of the soul

He sings

Don’t cry for meaning

Don’t ache for love

In the end there’s nothing

but the moon and stars above

He presses his cold sickle

In the curve of my spine

His waxen lips

Kiss passionless

against the blood of mine

Singing

Dust you are

dust

Unto dust

you shall return

but ’till you die here

In my arms

I know

You’ll never learn

12/9/95