It's my first time contributing to
Magaly's annual bloghop of wicked witchy fun! She gave people a lot of leeway with this year's theme -- "Your entry must focus on death rituals. Witches and magic motifs are optional." I knew immediately what I must write.
Alas, I'm afraid there will be no witches or magic in my entry. Just a lighthearted death-related ritual to honour a certain friend's life and personality when her inevitable day of departure arrives (hopefully not for many, many years in the future).
scattering
not for her a forlorn niche
in some forgotten cemetery
nor a staid and solemn scattering
in a wayside memorial garden
no, not even a canoe-and-backpack trip
to scatter her amidst the wilderness beauty
of a mountain lake
no, she will be released out of the open sun-roof
of a speeding van doing 140 klicks
down the yellowhead highway
across the canadian prairies
on a glorious summer day
under a flax blue sky
a golden sun
and a few fluffy clouds
with two . . . no, make that three . . .
screaming cop cars in hot pursuit
lights flashing, sirens blaring
tires scarcely touching the pavement
her ashes will stream backwards
floating over their heads
untouchable at last
a brilliant rainbow arc of glitter
for how could her ashes be
a mere dull pewter grey
yes, one final bit of scofflaw fun
one last defiant fist shaken at the mounties
and their devil hand-held radar machines
and unjust speeding tickets
which plagued her heavy foot
and cost her untold amounts of money
over so many many years
be it so
