"Remember that you are dust, and to dust
you shall return," -- T he Book of Common Prayer

It is
the sound
that startles me,
the fresh
crispness
of new ash
being pressed
into my forehead--
a knock,
an alarm,
a wake up
call--
this being
touched by
death--
with the
intoned
reminder of
dust as the
bookends
of life--
I pray
it is not
the
last word.

13 Feb 02

© Copyright 2002, E. Granger-Happ, All Rights Reserved.