Condolence and Sympathy
Poem - The Beauty of Death
 
Journey of Hearts
A Healing Place in CyberSpaceTM
 
The Beauty of Death
Part III - The Remains
 
This poem was suggested by a visitor, who found the poem "The Beauty of Death"  most beautiful and helpful in helping get over the deaths of four of her friends last summer, all killed by drunk drivers. 
This poem is from Bethany Dunning in memory of four friends who will long be missed: 
 
Michael Jamieson 1977-1997  
Andrew Stindt 1977-1997  
Ashely Easterbrooke 1979-1997  
Jeremy St. Cyr 1979-1997 
 
Due to the length of the poem, I have created three separate sections, links at the end.
 
 
The Beauty of Death 
by Kahlil Gibran 
Part Three - The Remains 

  Unwrap me from this white linen shroud and clothe me 
  With leaves of jasmine and lilies; 
  Take my body from the ivory casket and let it rest 
  Upon pillows of orange blossoms. 
  Lament me not, but sing songs of youth and joy; 
  Shed not tears upon me, but sing of harvest and the winepress; 
  Utter no sigh of agony, but draw upon my face with your 
  Finger the symbol of Love and Joy. 
  Disturb not the air's tranquility with chanting and requiems, 
  But let your hearts sing with me the song of Eternal Life; 
  Mourn me not with apparel of black, 
  But dress in color and rejoice with me; 
  Talk not of my departure with sighs in your hearts; close 
  Your eyes and you will see me with you forevermore. 
 
  Place me upon clusters of leaves and 
  Carry my upon your friendly shoulders and 
  Walk slowly to the deserted forest. 
  Take me not to the crowded burying ground lest my slumber 
  Be disrupted by the rattling of bones and skulls. 
  Carry me to the cypress woods and dig my grave where violets 
  And poppies grow not in the other's shadow; 
  Let my grave be deep so that the flood will not 
  Carry my bones to the open valley; 
  Let my grace be wide, so that the twilight shadows 
  Will come and sit by me. 
 
  Take from me all earthly raiment and place me deep in my 
  Mother Earth; and place me with care upon my mother's breast. 
  Cover me with soft earth, and let each handful be mixed 
  With seeds of jasmine, lilies and myrtle; and when they 
  Grow above me, and thrive on my body's element they will 
  Breathe the fragrance of my heart into space; 
  And reveal even to the sun the secret of my peace; 
  And sail with the breeze and comfort the wayfarer. 
 
  Leave me then, friends - leave me and depart on mute feet, 
  As the silence walks in the deserted valley; 
  Leave me to God and disperse yourselves slowly, as the almond 
  And apple blossoms disperse under the vibration of Nissan's breeze. 
 
  Go back to the joy of your dwellings and you will find there 
  That which Death cannot remove from you and me. 
  Leave with place, for what you see here is far away in meaning 
  From the earthly world. Leave me.  

Part I - The Calling
Part II - The Ascending
 
 Last updated April 16, 1998
 
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