Earthen Vessels

I survived Yesterday.

If I hadn't, there would be no Today.

Thus far, in my life,

I've survived every Yesterday.

But one day, when I die,

there will be no Today.

Like every living creature on the planet,

one day, I will die.

My to-do list includes making arrangements

for that future time of "no Today."

I'd like my body donated to science,

if they'll take it and if it's not too complicated a task.

I'd like my gold crowns extracted from my teeth,

before my body is committed to scalpels or flames.

Maybe the gold will be worth something,

or can be put in an urn.

I don't know if science cremates body parts

once those parts have run their teaching course.

If not, maybe I'll have some hair-locks instead of ashes

stored with the gold crowns in the urn.

If my body is turned to ash via cremation,

I'd like some of it spread at Grayson Highlands,

and maybe some at Roan,

and maybe some stored in an urn

which I'd select while I still have my faculties,

and maybe have the urn stored in the grotto

at the Episcopal Church of the Frescoes in Glendale Springs,

which is on the way to Grayson Highlands,

and maybe Hubby would do that too,

our ash could share the same urn,

and we'd have our names engraved in a small, rectangular, golden plaque,

and have the plaque attached on the outer wall of the grotto

along with the other plaques

engraved with others' names whose ashes also abide

in handpicked vessels in the grotto.

~vessels in the grotto, 1/21/17~

~vessels in the grotto, 1/21/17~