Last Of The Dark

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living ~ Cicero

Death has never been a solemn subject to me, it is has never been taboo. It is fact that I have attended more funerals than weddings but not once have I shed a single tear (and these were close family members). Now before I am accused of being "unfeeling", allow me to explain. I have such a strong belief of a sweet Afterlife, I believe we ALL go there, good or bad, that whenever I find myself standing graveside I am so convinced the departed have "ascended to a better place" (to be glib about it) that no sadness will emerge. Not even by force. No amount of pleasant memories, or clenching fists or straining veins will tempt sorrow from its den.
At times I have wondered if I was simply cold or indifferent toward death but as the years turn into sheaths of grey, I realise my emotions are in check, their pulse alive and screaming. I believe. That is as simple as it gets.
Indeed if I was stood before a Judge about to sentence me to death, or a doctor about to deliver my cancer act in deadly script, I would more than likely grin in reply. (Of course I don't know 100% for sure of that smirking reply but I could lay my heart on it being 95% certain). Naturally I am wary of DYING but the actual DEATH part? Im no more afraid of it than razor steel is to flesh. Or a crocodile to butterfly (but I am being blown off course now).
For me, death has no end and therefore no sorrow. My bones might miss the company and mortal flashes of the deceased but I know, nay feel, that as the coffin is being lowered into its earthly haven or obliterated by flame, that the soul of Man is rising like a stunned eagle into realms where even the finest pearls would look as lowly as paupers rags. Shrugging off mortality and disease as it lifts unto the sanctity of unknown. And these brief shards of endless joy penetrate my mind so deeply, embedding themselves like euphoric clots, that sadness is obliterated, unable to bring me to my knees.
I have my humanity, feelings, and good many things will reduce me to tears but weeping for the dead is beyond my hearts grasp. I think too much, believe I even know too much and doubt can never get over the threshold of my imagination/beliefs to even begin to try and shatter these ideas. Of course every man will have weak moments, and being a man prone to sometimes rampant, wild emotion there are often times when all I am able to imagine after my pulse is done is a wall of black, blinding in its finality.

Not often I am happy to report. Often a good dose of Welsh coastal air or the sight of a buzzard hunting for its supper will remedy that.

No Jake's Joy over Kidnappers Suicide

Looking nice?

So Ariel Castro, the Cleveland kidnapper has been found hanged in his prison cell? The creep was was found about 9.20pm yesterday at Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, just one month into his 1,000 year prison term.

Look, don't get me wrong here, im Pro death penalty, so its no loss in my eyes but! I am also in conflict with myself because I believe he got off way too lightly. Have you seen photos of the cell (or similar cells) this guy was kept in? There is one above. His suffering is over, I would also prefer the stiff n' blue option against spending any amount of time in one of those. Then of course there is the fear thing. Castro would have been a marked man in gaol, spending every day, every hour of that day, watching his back, wary of a 'shiv' being plunged into his podgy flesh. Or an eye gouging (these inmates can be terrible with their jailhouse retribution.) He is free of that now too.
Also, because I do not believe in such a place as 'hell', and think we all (sinners included) go to a gentle paradise after we die, its even harder to take this news and I cannot see much to be happy about. It is pretty evident to me that to a lot of folk death is a mighty taboo, the hideous dark to end all darkness; but to me (and there others who feel the same) death is not so frightening, it doesn't posses that dreadful clout and therefore my jubilation at the news of Ariel Castros demise will not include shouts of "YES!" and "Burn in hell!" Because I truly believe he has cheated the 'hangman'.
Here in Great Britain, the vile Ian Brady is on his 47th year in captivity and guess what? He is begging for the right to end his pathetic life. The worm has been on hunger strike for years but the high security hospital he so deeply despises, keeps on force feeding him in order to deny him his freedom. Death is escape. Death is no more weakness of flesh. Death is becoming pure. Death is freedom.
Of course we all hold different beliefs, this is the beauty of Life and there will be thousands of merry people today, celebrating Castro's descent into hell or some other eternal damnation. Good luck to you, enjoy your day but brief it will be. Rather like this cretins sentence.

Hell is...Soggy Chips & Television

Being a poet/writer I occasionaly get asked if I believe in hell and damnation, (like I have been let in on some great secret only revealed to bards or philosophers) and often people are suprised by my answer because its so simple; no I don't believe in it. And furthermore I doubt the majority believe in it either. Hell is merely threat used by religious brigands to keep the congregation shaking in their pews.
Good thing too because if there was such a place, we'd all be heading there. Are we not all without sin? Also the infinite punishment of eternal damnation isn't exactly fair to be put upon earlthy sin. Is any crime committed in this world, worthy of such a punishment in the next?** And what type of loving God would impose it? Not a caring, forgiving one id wager.
If there is a hell, we are in it in this world. The wars, bloodshed, famines, this planet can seem like Vlad's 'forest of impalement' if looked from the right angle. Even lesser evils like soggy chips swimming in grease and reality television contribute to the endless woes suffered by humanity. (The thinking types among us).

** Jorge Luis Borges suggests in his essay La Duración del Infierno that no transgression can warrant an infinite punishment on the grounds that there is no such thing as an 'infinite transgression'.

Life Ever After

It annoys me when I listen to some try preaching that dead is dead, and that to them the life after this one is bunkum. To me it illustrates just how little imagination these buffoons have. Now before im accused of being some religious nutjob, let me say nothing could be further from the truth. There is nothing as terrible to me as organised religion. I have no time for it and tend to think the church goers are as barmy as the non believers.
My idea of the afterlife is a bit more exciting than the usual old-man-with-a-white-beard version beloved of so many. I like to call it EverWorld (its a hipper word than 'Heaven') and there I like to think its a mix of War Of The Worlds, Planet Of The Apes, Mario Land with a dash of Texas Chainsaw Massacre thrown in. I still keep the rivers of wine idea because that simply is a wonderful thing and even souls need a drop of booze now and then.
Dead is dead is worse than dead itself. Plain boring and only the lowest wit or character would believe it surely?


Eternal paradise? Just up the road on the right

I believe the place where we go after the grave is closer to this one than the one where clouds and harps are popular, and have bits of each of the themes ive mentioned above in it. EverWorld has a human touch; food and drink is definately in abundance, stuff that doesn't reach its sell by date. Im guessing there will things to do also, not work exactly but something where all the spirits contribute otherwise eternity could get ever so tedious.
Neither will it be all peace and goodwill because its through disagreements that solutions are found (even the populace of paradise need to bicker) so its a bop on the head for harmony loving angels im afraid. One simply could not face a forever after agreeing and being charming. That way leads to madness. And severe rash.
As for the idea of there being a hell, then of course an otherworldly punishment exists there but its not damned to burning in pits of molten lava. Its more like a sin bin (only for real SINS) like we have in rugby or ice hockey. Do a little blaspheming or spill an archangel's pint and you spend five years in the bin. And because this is eternity those five years will feel like five minutes. More grievous transgressions equals more time in the bin, in perhaps a less comfortable type of cage.

Eternal suits?

So the next thing is bodies. Do we arrive at the gothic, electric gates in the mess we left earth; bloodied, gasping, diseased and waiting for a new breath? Or do we slip into our new and improved form as soon as the line goes flat? In my mind the former makes more sense because if we were able to just shake off the ravages of our previous, useless bodies and be instantly healed from whatever fatal strike finished us (on earth) then it leaves no hope of getting the soul to repent their mortal wrongdoings. Why should they? They are transformed. On the other hand if we remain in our crushed, wheezing shells on admittance into EverWorld then chance of genuine regret and repentance exists.
To sum it up we would be angels (not the feathery-keen-on-harps type) infused with electricity and buzzing like eagles hooked up to a power grid. Perhaps similar to the image above. Immortal but not invincible until sins on earth are truly atoned.
So that, in a fashion, is that. My vision or idea of Life Everafter. Its more imaginative than just looking into a gravelly pit and slightly more cooler than clouds and hymns. And the truly great thing about all this is I could very well be right!