The Clothing In The Casket

As I pondered a certain thought, I saw them there in the casket,

Those clothes

Arms folded on the chest, shoulders bunched a little bit close to each other,

Buttoned up, empty, and clean, yet nonetheless bore the marks of having been worn before

As I peered in at them, I leaned in to put them on,

But they would not yield to my touch,

They would not allow me to grasp them

But I did feel a pull

As though they would pull me into them!

I felt them pulling me down into the grave

I pulled away…

Meanwhile my life passed me by, with all of its demands that I at times obeyed, at times resisted, and at times succumbed to

Then, one day, as though awakened from a dreamy sleep, I found myself dressed in those same clothes I once tried to grasp, and once tried to allude

These clothes are now on my shoulders, their creases are my creases, their folds rippling along my arms, chest and legs

It’s me, we’re one and the same, every bit me, yet not at all

My eye caught the sight of the casket… and to my calm surprise I saw my past resemblance laying there

How I could be two, how I could be laying there, and standing here, that alludes me still

But you will excuse me now… I have dragons to slay, and horses to ride…