Poem -

Memento Mori

Memento Mori

The bells scream out (though they are scarce of breath)
And in the streets young women sit and weep
for idols lost. Dispatches of your death
reach those who loved you. Cold and changing sleep
crept oโ€™er the one who once inspired verse
to pour from vessels worthier than she
could ever know. The flower-laden hearse
Rounds (slowly) corners on the road to thee.
At end of road (as others must have found)
that road which had begun with screaming birth:
She comes to rest in withered flower-mound
To sate the raven-hunger of the earth.
It matters not if you are meek or bold
To he who kisses every cheek with cold.

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Comments

author
Lorna

Elegantlyย written J, Its exceptionally good, I could almost feel the cold kiss of deathย :)

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you.
I wrote this about six years ago. Partly inspired by the dream sequence in Dante'sย La Vita Nuova; hence the use of Rossetti's painting of that scene: the rest was derived from lines taken from a journal entry I wrote the night I first visited my mother's grave, alone, a few daysย after her funeral. And long before I went for a jaunt across the south side of Dublin!

Thanks again, L.

J x

Reply
author
Lorna

well, I am very glad you shared this,ย so thanks :)ย 

Lorna x

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thanks, Lisa. Your continuing interest and support means a great deal to me.
And I'll be round to read your latest work momentarily!

J x

Reply
author
Mizzy ......

Brilliant write Jason ....that inevitable ย cold kiss comes to all.

I couldn't help but think of Cohen, Prince or Bowie here.

Regards.......Mick.

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Mick...
When I was born, I was given three weeks to live. I am now 38 years old and still very much alive!! Yes, that inevitable cold kiss comes to all; you yourself have felt the brush of the wings of Thanatos in the cold night: but that's no reason to make it easy for him...demi-godย or not! Though it may go some way to explaining my seeming obsession!!

Thank you. It means a lot to me.

J.

Reply
author
Bradford

Hey Jason , a very cool piece . I felt like you took me to that place with your words. A worthy nominee to win in my book . Happy new year to you . Rock

Reply
author
Jason Brown

That's very kind of you to say. Thank you.

J ;)

Reply
author
Lorna

well done, J, Well deserved ย ;) X

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you, Lorna.

Happy New Year to you.

J x

Reply
author
Lorna

Happy new year x

Reply
author
Mizzy ......

Congrats Jason.....delighted to see you among the winners .....you clearly deserve it !

Best wishes for a poetic 2017........Mick.

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thanks Mick. And to you. It's humbling to be in such august company.

May your talent find matching inspiration in the coming year...and, not to rush you, but I'm still waiting on that calendar/paper cuts poem I basically begged you to write a few days ago!!! ?

J ;)

Reply
author
Sambit Kumar Pradhan

Congrats Jason!
It's a hauntingly beautiful poem, taking me to the corners of my heart which I didn't know I had.

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you. The corners are always there; unfortunately, it's impossible to see round them...so we never can tell who or what we'll meet!!

I hope you discover nothing but inspiration and joy round every corner in this bright new year.

J ;)

Reply
author
Sambit Kumar Pradhan

Shukriya for the wishes! Wishing you the same Jason!

I sometimes wish I knew how to cut off and discard some corners of my heart.
ย 

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Over the course of my life, I have undergone open heart surgery several times. I can tell you, from personal experience...cutting corners is rarely a good idea!

But the heart wants what the heart wants (to get rid of, apparently!).

J ;)

Reply
author
Sambit Kumar Pradhan

Oh dear! Hope ll's well now.

The wants and needs of our heart and mind. They make us do everything!

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Yes indeed. Make us do everything...make us want everything...make us tame and dominate and fear everything. They are what drive us to greatness and despair; to love and hate. They are the impetus behind every 'who' and 'what' that we are. They are the very essence of poetry;ย but it's up to us to shape them into art.

I'm fine, thank you.

J.

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you, Lisa.

Your poetry and words of encouragement and love are ever a joy to read.
I'm glad to call you my friend, here in the vast cosmos.

Happy New Year to you and you family.

J x

Reply
author
Jason Brown

YOUR family!!...was what I meant, obviously. It's very late over here...and it's been a long day.

xxx

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you.

And a very Happy New Year.

J.

Reply
author
Christopher Correia

excellent sonnet, Jason, good to see classic poetry being recognized again; not many can write a good sonnet, you're quite good....to like or not to like any given poem, perhaps it'sย a matter of taste, but this is a good choice (in my opinion) to start the year especially, terrific read, poet, I will be paying much more attention to your work in the coming months, happy new year and congratulations

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you very much.

A very Happy New Year to you too.

J.

Reply
author
Larry Ran

Hi Jason,

Wow. ย It did not take you long to make your mark on the Cosmo world. ย After just recently meeting you online and trading some correspondence, I told Linda that you were astute and erudite. ย You certainly proved my point quickly. ย Congratulations on your success. ย I look forward to a long poetic relationship with you.

Peace and Love,

Larry xxx

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Ah Larry,

Thank you so very much for your kind words. As Oscar Wilde said, "The only thing worse than being talked about...is not being talked about!" Of course that rather depends on what people are saying about you; as Oscar himself later discovered.
I've been remiss in keeping up our correspondence of late; I've missed our exchanges and quips: and shall endeavour to rectify that in the coming year.

My very warmest wishes to you and yours for a peaceful, prosperous and poetry-filled New Year.

your friend,
Jason ;)

Reply
author
Rose Sho

This is an awesome piece J...Congratulations on a well deserved win...look forward to learning from you....Happy New Year

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you so very much, Rose.

Having read some of your work, I can assure you that there's nothing you need to learn from me...quite the reverse, actually.

A very Happy New Year to you too.

J x

Reply
author
Rose Sho

I know you're kidding J...I got a lot to learn from you...I love learning from people who know really the art and you're definately one of them...Looking forward to reading more from you

Reply
author
RRG (Rebecca)

Congrats on your win. Wonderful writing and flow. Rebecca

Reply
author
Jason Brown

Thank you so very much.

A very Happy New Year to you, Rebecca.

J.

Reply
author
Deborah Evans

Hi Jason Congratulation A sonnet to be proudย 
of. I look forward to reading more of your workย 
Best wishes Debsย 

Reply
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