A Good Day to Die - Redwing Keyssar

[Lawrence Robinson]

A Good Day to Die  
      For Deb

Thick puffy grey clouds slowly lift,
 revealing greening mountains
   on this fresh autumn morning

Yet there will be no sun today.
There will be the song of wind and rain,
 the dance of dark birds floating
   on the currents of cool air

Yesterday was a good day to die.
For a woman who was ready to surrender
  a body that could no longer carry her  
 without pain
  without intense suffering--
    knowing she could never be her strong self
     ever again
a deep knowing in the marrow of her bones
     and each contraction of her open heart
      that she would die soon

one way 
or the other

The one way
  being on a gurney in an emergency room
   bleeding and cramping
     then being rushed down a long 
     foul-smelling hallway
     by people who did not know her
      or care about her comfort
to a scanner
  where she would lie flat on a cold hard conveyor belt
   as she was slowly slid under a machine 
   that would tell her what she already knew:
   her tumors were everywhere
   and she would die soon.

People would suggest pain medication.

No one would suggest miracles.

  
The other way:
being in her own artful home
in her own soft and familiar bed
in her own potent energy field
  surrounded by those who cared deeply
  surrounded by soft music
    and candlelight

 Held in love
 
Dying
  by her own hand
   as she tilted the clear glass
    filled with bittersweet orange liquid
    and drank down 
    the nectar of gods and goddesses
    (tho she was hesitant to believe in any of them)

  Eyes wide open
   still sparkling as they did throughout her life
   her wisdom still palpable 
    she looked around 
    and said,
    “I’m going now”
  
as she peacefully and quietly
closed her bright eyes
donned her new wings
and flew home
leaving a shining rainbow around the sun
in her wake

           - Redwing Keyssar
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