Poppies and Nebula (Life, Death and Cosmic Rhythms)

Poppies near Assisi: May 2016

Poppies and Nebula

Fields, startlingly ablaze with colour,flare out compelling invitations to draw near

to see the papery wonder of their petals,

before they yield to seed-heads, shrivelled, drear,

which broadcast tiny caskets, interred for many seasons,

‘til fresh-turned earth prompts new-life to appear.

Galaxies, illuminated by their stars, blaze forth,

scatter their light to who knows where or whom.

Then in a churning, cataclysmic moment

one orb reduces all around it

to broth of cosmic chaos, dust and doom.

Yet in the diffuse remnant, lies a promise;

glorious regeneration,

suns, planets, asteroids and moons.

We, privileged dwellers on this planet,

with brains that let us revel

in the beauty of these disparate fields,

come into this world, grow by its generous nature

and after brief or lengthy span,

like flower and star, to death, our bodies yield.

Those left behind may grieve,

feel shock, loss, anger,

find it hard to cope.

Have courage now!

Dare to consider

such cosmic rhythms’ inference;

beyond-life hope.  

Poppy nebula (Imaginary) painted  by the author

(acrylic/ mixed media)

Other ‘Rites of Passage’ poems on this blog are Wedding Song (Lively modern tune written especially for this Christian Wedding Song) and Baptism Song (written to the tune of ‘Waltzing Matilda’)