Radiance of Mortality

By Ken Allan Dronsfield

Perched upon
gray branches in leafless trees
blackbirds rest
on their journey to nowhere
an icy red wine sky leaps into our mind
just over the horizon
a mysterious radiant mortality looms
as it waits
church bells toll in the valleys
a pain in my head reaches a crescendo
the illness rages
dirty linen is left here
the body quakes and quivers with the fever
night brings a moonless horror
crickets sing
raspy breathing slows
body stiffens as the woeful spirit releases
death arrives in a radiance of darkness
as the sun rises
eyes open to a different view of life
is death the absolute end
or just a new beginning.