If I believe in death
I will see it throughout my life —
Death of friendship, death of love,
death of opportunity, of hope —
It will hang like shrouds across my eyes,
weigh down my face, lodge in my throat
and eat away at each of my endeavors,
sucking out the juice from every promise

If I believe in death
dread will hedge about my days,
purpose will seem hollow, dreams ill-fated

But if I believe in life
I will follow it through all its cycles,
I will feel the living joy
of pressing into the earth, and rising up,
will relish the adventure of each reconfiguration,
revel in the presence of enough

I will know that love, like life,
can never die,
won’t fade with time and distance,
won’t become a lie

If I flow in the abundance of my being,
I’ll keep on loving
and I’ll keep on living.

©Wendy Mulhern
October 25, 2014