deepundergroundpoetry.com
Becoming Ash
Cremation is my chosen final act.
May I become ash
to nourish the shores
where I was conceived.
In moments of passion,
I envision my flesh ablaze,
a withering torch.
Will my remains still pulse
with unquenched desire?
While I live, my eyes open wide
with longing,
and my arms extend in yearning,
not for rescue
but for embrace.
Yet the flames are too fierce.
My lovers do not hear my cries.
Burning, oh that ultimate,
bittersweet embrace with death.
I will relinquish all caution
and spread my lips in surrender
to the flames that will consume all of me.
There will be no resurrection,
no eternal life.
As the fire devours me,
past lovers will continue to long
for my embrace,
even while knowing
nothing of me remains
but ash.
May I become ash
to nourish the shores
where I was conceived.
In moments of passion,
I envision my flesh ablaze,
a withering torch.
Will my remains still pulse
with unquenched desire?
While I live, my eyes open wide
with longing,
and my arms extend in yearning,
not for rescue
but for embrace.
Yet the flames are too fierce.
My lovers do not hear my cries.
Burning, oh that ultimate,
bittersweet embrace with death.
I will relinquish all caution
and spread my lips in surrender
to the flames that will consume all of me.
There will be no resurrection,
no eternal life.
As the fire devours me,
past lovers will continue to long
for my embrace,
even while knowing
nothing of me remains
but ash.
Published 7th Jan 2025
Author's Note
Yesterday, I visited a local crematorium and made final arrangements while I was in a good frame of mind and sober. I'm not anticipating dying soon but death will come for all of us and it makes sense to be prepared. After a short counseling session with a nice woman there, I wrote this passage in my journal.
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 4
reading list entries 0
comments 1
reads 121
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
Interesting to know what arrangements are possible in another country. In mine (UK) I don't know of any crematoria who would book a cremation for you to take place at some indefinite point in the future but there do exist now funeral plans which enable people to arrange with an undertaker one's own funeral arrangements, be it cremation or burial as long as you can pay a certain amount of money to help cover (over years funeral expenses can increase including cremation fees); the funeral firm will then arrange with a crematorium when you eventually have died. My mother took one out when she was in her 70s (wants to be cremated, ashes buried in churchyard) but she is still here at 91! I do wish your own funeral not to take place too soon in the future!
