We dance with Death.

Every day

from conception

to cremation-

or whatever other path to bodily annihilation-

we dance with Death.

She whirls us,

gasping,

laughing,

giddied and giggling

to the adrenalin heights of danger

and wraps us soft in swaddling arms

at night…

where visions of her,

of that sleep of death,

of that “good night”

sigh and sough through our dreams.

We dance with Death.

Every day

from dawn to dusk

and back again,

we look into her eyes

and see the twinkling

of eternal stars.

We dance with Death

and this is life.

She is not proud,

though some have called her

“Mighty”

and “Dreadful”.

The words tumble from her

as she shakes her night-black hair,

and fly like bats

away.

She is light-footed,

joyful,

life.

We dance with Death

every day

til tiredness takes our bodies

and then…

we dance with Death

again.

Artwork: Ruth Calder Murphy

Ruth Calder Murphy is a writer, artist, music teacher, wife and mother living in London, UK. Her life is wonderfully full of creativity and low-level chaos. She is the author of one published novel, “The Scream,” several books of poetry and one or two as-yet unpublished novels. She is passionate about celebrating the uniqueness of people, questioning the unquestionable and discovering new perspectives on old wonders. She is learning to ride the waves that come along—peaks and troughs—and is waking up to just how wonderful life really is. You can visit Ruth on her website at www.ruthcaldermurphy.com or on her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Ruthsart

Editor: Anne Clendening

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