Beautiful Death
by Bethany Jarmul
Leaves floating, falling, resting, returning to dust
hedgehogs hibernate, monarchs migrate, crickets croak their last song
A bride’s gown blankets rooftops,
lace clings to branches, tickles noses, adorns eyelashes
Stillness grows like icicles, drop by drop
in the silence, much is spoken
Breathing pristine frigid air, remembering the bloody birth
of the spotless one, born to die, again to live
Death as a promise, a cleansing act
of victory, rebirth—nasturtiums springing forth from frozen earth
Bethany Jarmul is a writer and work-from-home mom. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Literary Mama, Scribes*MICRO*Fiction, Sky Island Journal, and Allium, A Journal of Poetry & Prose. She grew up in the hills of West Virginia and lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and two kids. Connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.
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