Yes, momento mori is an important principle to live by - remember *your* death and live accordingly. But death itself, though a part of nature, is originally unnatural. It is a horrible thing to see in another person and that is what I wanted to bring out in these poems. It is when someone we love is ravaged by death in front of our eyes and when they are taken by death that all the poetic language we use to mask its hideousness or to rationalize it flakes off and we are left staring at something simply repulsive. Death is an abomination, a curse, an end. It is only a beginning because Christ made it so for those who trust in Him for their salvation. "Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15)
Memento mori - remember death. It is part of the Stoic ethos. Not to dwell on it's ever-presence, but to contemplate death as a way to remind us to live and to help prioritize our goals, ambitions, desires and hopes. Death reminds us that those we love will not be here forever. Death is the great equalizer - rich or poor, famous, infamous or just a cog - all leave this world and take none of their riches, none of their loves, none of their tribulations and envy with them. Death is the end and the beginning. The circle complete.
Then it occurred to Kristin Lavransdatter in a new way that the interpreters of God's words were right. Life on this earth was irredeemably tainted by strife; in this world, wherever people wherever people mingled, producing new descendants, allowing themselves to be drawn together by physical love and loving their own flesh, sorrows of the heart and broken expectations were bound to occur as surely as the frost appears in the autumn. Both life and death would separate friends in the end, as surely as the winter separates the tree from its leaves. - Sigrid Undset, Kristin Lavransdatter
Yes, momento mori is an important principle to live by - remember *your* death and live accordingly. But death itself, though a part of nature, is originally unnatural. It is a horrible thing to see in another person and that is what I wanted to bring out in these poems. It is when someone we love is ravaged by death in front of our eyes and when they are taken by death that all the poetic language we use to mask its hideousness or to rationalize it flakes off and we are left staring at something simply repulsive. Death is an abomination, a curse, an end. It is only a beginning because Christ made it so for those who trust in Him for their salvation. "Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15)
These are going in my commonplace, Esther. I had literal chills.
Wow, thank you, Abigail. That means a lot to me.
From a wounded heart, and brutally honest. And ends with hope.
Memento mori - remember death. It is part of the Stoic ethos. Not to dwell on it's ever-presence, but to contemplate death as a way to remind us to live and to help prioritize our goals, ambitions, desires and hopes. Death reminds us that those we love will not be here forever. Death is the great equalizer - rich or poor, famous, infamous or just a cog - all leave this world and take none of their riches, none of their loves, none of their tribulations and envy with them. Death is the end and the beginning. The circle complete.
Then it occurred to Kristin Lavransdatter in a new way that the interpreters of God's words were right. Life on this earth was irredeemably tainted by strife; in this world, wherever people wherever people mingled, producing new descendants, allowing themselves to be drawn together by physical love and loving their own flesh, sorrows of the heart and broken expectations were bound to occur as surely as the frost appears in the autumn. Both life and death would separate friends in the end, as surely as the winter separates the tree from its leaves. - Sigrid Undset, Kristin Lavransdatter