Requiem At the River

I stand in the swamp by the riverbank clutching a coin I have stolen as my heart still beats within my breast It is only my spirit that has slipped away to await the ferryman of Acheron Charon who skillfully pilots his skiff from there to where it flows into Styx He arrives and I pay the price He places the coin in his pocket and grabs hold of the pole pushing away from the shore as I lay indolent with lament in the bottom of the boat the icy chill of the water seeping through the wood Shivering I stare at the stars silently weeping remembering the many wishes I made on them that went unrealized unheard for the Gods must have found me unworthy Cerberus will step aside to admit me heads snarling as the snakes on his back writhe Hades will welcome me Or he may hand me over to be judged by Aeacus and plunged into the pit of Tartarus for my many sins to be tortured for eternity starved and beaten my liver eaten by birds May he have mercy on me this sorrowful lost soul for all I ever wanted was to dance carefree and content to the music of miracles in the golden flower filled Elysian Fields forever with you