My face,
by ritual sacred, smeared with a trace of ash
reminds there will be a time,
one day,
some day
(I pray,
from this day,
long ‘way)
when comes my last moment,
my final breath;
when I will…when I can have nothing left
to think,
to feel,
to intend,
to do,
to say,
to write,
to give,
to receive,
to be,
to become.
Then I will see
the splendor I have imagined
of life and land made new,
without fear of dying
or mourning’s
crying.(1)
Or not…
For when my eyes close last
all sight and sense will be lost.
Still,
now and ‘til then
by faith and in hope in God, I believe…
for the sake of love in this world received
and treasured,
bestowed in sincerest measure
(love bountiful,
aye, unconditional)
…that I yon shall venture
beyond time’s manor
and whenas shedding this mortality,
I shall rejoice to see Love’s glory.
Footnote:
(1) A paraphrase of Revelation 21.5, 4
occasional observations of mind and heart, soul and spirit 
Keep believing Paul!! There may not be any words or breath left at the end of your life, but I believe there’s so many more memories, hurt, tears and YES even Joy to experience before we all leave this world. I look forward to love’s Glory!
Much love!
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Thanks, Loretta…
An unspoken/unwritten subtext to this poem (which originally was titled: “Mortal Hope” and dealt only with the anticipation of everlasting life beyond death and the grave, but without the witness to love experienced in this realm of time and space) is that love (not emotion or feelings, but rather unconditional benevolence) whenever experienced is a foretaste of Divine Love. Another way of saying this is that – and I believe – that love cannot be only of this world, but rather must (it simply must!) carry/live on!
Much love back to you
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