“Life Cycle”

one more winter, coming soon
too many days before the warm returns
to bake the chill out of my bones
when spring comes, coming late
my bones will sink beneath the thawing ground,
feed plants that burst through the surface
green and vital, ashes to ashes and dust to blessed dust 

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I was happy to hear that there is a “return to the earth” movement that is encouraging use of only biodegradable materials for coffins. It’s always seemed strange, locking a body away in a metal box sealed inside a concrete vault. Myself, I’d prefer to be cremated, my ashes scattered. I wonder if the resulting ashes are alkaline or acidic. 

waiting for new life . . . to become a spring flower after death’s long sleep