The Death Wish
I dreamt that death was a bus ride
a long loop of a familiar route
and that love was a daisy chain
held dear to the body
I left my luggage in the village hangout
where I played pinball in the ‘60s
I left my sons’ baby clothes in a lock box
If I have to die I hope it’s by Cupid’s arrow
and that Mark Knopfler’s Golden Heart
is on the playlist
_________Colleen Redman / Poets and Storytellers United
February 16th, 2020 9:01 am
I was locked up once, long, long ago (allegedly for our own good) with a Dire Straits addict. The other inmate/patients referred us as The Sultans.
Great; now I gotta go fire up the vinyl. Thanks a bunch, CR.
February 16th, 2020 11:03 am
I like the idea of death as a bus ride … especially considering that one experiences flashbacks just seconds before the time is up.
February 16th, 2020 11:05 am
I’ll go for sultans of swing:)
February 16th, 2020 12:02 pm
I think I’d like to choose my closing credits song too… and the bus ride analogy is perfect.
February 16th, 2020 12:12 pm
Just me and the driver. I’ll sit halfway back
February 16th, 2020 1:24 pm
I think I’m going to avoid bus travel for a while! A creative ride, for sure.
February 16th, 2020 1:47 pm
A great take on the Celestial omnibus, though much nicer. Although as a hard rock fanatic, not sure about a Swinging Sultan 🙂
February 16th, 2020 1:57 pm
Not the Sultans of Swing but this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnqQYMKP8mc Always tears me up.
February 16th, 2020 2:03 pm
Totally not sitting here, crying quietly to myself so as not to distract the dog or the husband…a poem that carries me quite past the safety nets.
February 16th, 2020 3:50 pm
I think this a wonderful way to travel a final journey although my music choice would differ.
Lovely write.
Anna :o]
February 16th, 2020 7:09 pm
I think plenty of people have felt their world end once they got shot with Cupid’s arrow. But fortunately that leaves room for something to begin.
February 16th, 2020 7:19 pm
Nice, different poem. I’d rather be driving than riding. Either is not a pleasant way, you might even not die. Driving, you head on an eighteen wheeler. I had a student who did that, not on purpose, he couldn’t remember anything that happened on that day.
..
February 16th, 2020 7:31 pm
Golden Heart is a lovely song! And this is a lovely poem, which reveals a little more every time I read it.
Perhaps we are continually dying to our old selves. Which would mean continually being reborn, too.
February 16th, 2020 9:43 pm
The sultans of swing on a short list–love this Collen!
February 16th, 2020 11:19 pm
I’ve read this 3 times…and saw something different each time. An arresting first line 🙂
February 17th, 2020 2:15 am
What a delight to read this and absorb the words and feelings.
February 17th, 2020 6:13 pm
Death as a bus ride…I find that quite appropriate. Yes, if we could all die by cupid’s arrow to your soundtrack that would be a blessing I think.
February 17th, 2020 8:44 pm
When my first husband was dying, our metaphor for the process was waiting for the bus on which the dead people we loved were partying.
February 17th, 2020 8:52 pm
I love that Su-sieee!
February 18th, 2020 3:19 pm
May you die in the way you wish. What a way to go!
February 19th, 2020 5:46 pm
Dying by Cupid’s arrow, with song in the background. Sounds like a good way to go!