Plant a Garden Over Me
by Sheri Yutzy
When I die, plant a garden over me.
Let moss curl round my edges
carrot tops spurt like laughter
let me be food for the earth.
May my blood and bones be life
as the One who gave me life.
Let my skin ease hunger
and my lungs bring breath to the world.
Plant daffodils by my head
and poppies near my feet
and stand on me and gather
flowers to soothe the sorrowful.
May the good soil swallow
any darkness I have brought.
When I die,
plant a garden over me.
Sheri Yutzy loves to write words that illuminate the longings of the world. You can find more of her work at sheriyutzy.com.
Photography by Kenneth Godoy
This poem grabbed my attention and made me smile, in a good way. Even showed it to my wife: she said all poets must be morbid. Anyway, thank you!
Morbid? Maybe. Maybe not. Poets just take living to a different level.
Agreed. Just throwing in a non-poet’s reaction for interest’s sake. My wife’s comment was of mock/mild exasperation down the line of “you mean it’s not just you writing poems on death?!”
Love these words, Sheri!