If there is an after life
Have I provided for it,
Have I, in the presumed darkness there,
A candle of Hope lit

 
For, all that I might have gathered here
Will not be accompanying me,
for sure No friends, no things, nor the
Nightingale that sings
Will cross the seas, with me, to the other shore.
 

My boat will carry nothing but me
In the arms of an Angel, I hope,
‘Cause, nothing I’ve done makes me liable,
I think To be hanging at the end of a rope.
 

On balance, I’ve tried to be as fair as
I could And thus, a deposit of “goodness” ensured
In vaults, that the Lord may see out there
And, give me both lodging and board.

 
There’s an urgent need for us to remember
And remind our over-stressed mind,
That all we amass in this mortal world
Is always left behind.

 
Kind words, good deeds, precede us
To whatever there is that lies ahead,
Forgive me, those that I may have hurt
By things I may have said.

(The author is a prolific poet who has over 30 poetry books to his credit. He can be reached at ashoksawhny06@gmail.com/ www.ashoksawhny.com)