death rejoices

the long finger in the middle
was covered with tar and sand

the rest were clean from nail to nuckle
both palms were drenched in purple ink

the white silk robe she wore
was open, revealing bruises and white flesh

"Father,
forgive her sins

take her to your bosom
and care for her"

Per istam sanctam unctionem,
indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid deliquisti

Amen

I prayed.

the police arrived an hour later
with questions

"How did you know her?"
"When was the last time you saw her alive?"

they placed her in a black bag
and she was sped off quietly

When the doctor removed her brain
her heart
her liver
her spleen

She was silent
but she knew the words in life:
"Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae"

the autopsy came back
seizure caused by an allergy to the ink
led to a fall and
severe trauma to her frontal lobe.

on thursday she was buried in a large pine casket
covered in white and pink carnations

the priest said,
ashes to ashes, dust to dust
and put some dirt on top of her.

everyone else walked away.
but I watched her drop 6 feet.
then waited for the sun to set.