ON CAROLINE WALTER (Satis Shroff)
I took a walk to the old cemetery
With its cultural treasures,
And saw the Dance of Death
At the entrance of Michael’s chapel.
The gravestones expressed
The self-consciousness of the citizens.
There were many stories
That made their rounds
In the town of Freiburg.
I felt drawn to one gravestone
It was that of Caroline Walter
Lying on her bed of concrete,
Her head reposing on a big pillow.
She had aesthetic features
And wore a long dress.
Her left arm rested on her breast.
Her nose was elegantly long and pointed.
Her eyes were closed,
As though she’d fallen asleep
In the afternoon.
Her lips were well chiselled.
On her right hand
She held a book she’d been reading.
I discern the strings of a fiddle from the neighbourhood.
Fresh scarlet and pink roses
Lay under her chin,
As if she was taking in their scent
With her fine nostrils.
A breeze undulates the leaves on the floor
And disappears.
The expression on her face
Was serene and tranquil.
A lady in harmony and peace
With herself and the world
She lived in.
A Fräulein from a decent family.
*****
WHEN THE SOUL LEAVES (Satis Shroff)
Like Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage'
And we've played many different roles in our lives
In various places and scenarios.
As we grow old and ripe, our knowledge of the world grows.
We hold what we cannot see, smell, taste and touch in our memories.
We only have to walk down memory lane
To find the countless faces, places, sights and sounds that we have stored,
To be recalled and retrieved through association
In conversations with others
Or when we contemplate alone.
Why should elderly people be scared of social terror and aging?
Aging is a biological phenomenon.
We should be glad that we have lived useful lives,
Filled with good experiences.
The wonderful children that we have created,
The very gems of our genes,
Each so individual in their personalities.
The house we lived in and filled
With love, laughter, songs and music.
The parents and grand-parents, friends and relatives
We have had the time to share with.
But we should be able to assert our exit from this earthly existence
In the manner that we desire,
And not leave it in the hands
Of an intensive life-extension unit.
Let us dwell on common experiences and encounters
That we can take with us,
When the massless soul leaves the body
And races with the speed of light
Towards space and becomes unified
With the ever expanding, timeless cosmos.
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