Epitaph

On a blustery night in February 1978, I sat in my college dorm gripped with writer’s block. A song lyric wouldn’t come, so I decided to write a poem; a rarity. Pure poetry isn’t my thing. The verse is short, and I decided then, at age 18, that it would someday be my epitaph.

I originally posted the poem with title “Lay Me Down” on Jan. 31, 2004, when this blog resided at TypePad. Rather than restore the original post, I revive instead. 

When I die I’ll ask for no coffin
Lay me down on a forest hillside
This will be my piece of springtime
My last desire fulfilled
Lay me down on a hillside
Lay me down

When I die I’ll ask for no mourning
Smile for me as you remember old days
This will be my soul forever
My last desire fulfilled
Smile for me and remember
Lay me down

The light shines o’er the horizon
Going to some distant galaxy
We live on in that light passing
My last desire fulfilled
Lay me down on a hillside
Lay me down

Editor’s Note: This work is All Rights Reserved.

Photo Credit: Howard Ignatius