Saturday, June 13, 2015

The pyre


It's the Weekend Wordle at A Prompt Each Day. Of the ten given words, I have used these nine - paradise, short, pyre, door, sea, name, humble, alive and hundreds.


On the opposite bank golden flames flickered. I watched transfixed, humbled by the solemnity of the family filing past the pyre which enveloped a lifeless body as it passed through the door to paradise.

I watched the remains being scattered in the flowing muddy water amid hundreds of swirling colourful petals and scraps of gaudy fabric as they started their short journey to the sea.

I knew not his name. I know nothing of him. The mourners have left now but flames flicker on, a sign that maybe he’s alive in spirit, but in a better place. 



My piece is inspired by an actual incident I witnessed whilst in Nepal. It seemed disrespectful to take photographs at the time, so I took just this one  after the funeral was over. 




8 comments:

  1. This is beautifully done, even given the tragedy.

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  2. a deeply moving poem, making all humbled...

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    1. It was a moving experience and something I'll never forget.

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  3. Wow. Nice poem. Pretty amazing that you witnessed something most read about in books or see in movies.

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    1. It wasn't easy to watch, ut I'm glad I did. Thanks for dropping by.

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  4. I think you were wise and considerate not to photograph the event. Thank you for sharing this. It's very nicely done.

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