from ashes we came . . .

burning your covenant
behind me,
i race on ahead
to jump on this
weary-go-round
called life,
sin spinning me
faster and faster,
until i fall off,
dizzily dancing with
death;

getting ready for bed,
i bank the embers
of my ever-faithful fears,
hoping they might
smolder into cold cinders
i can scatter
to the Spirit;

in the morning, i hurriedly
splash my face
with a few handfuls
of the left-over ashes
from yesterday's
feast on foolishness;

ashes, ashes,
we all fall down . . .

into the embrace
of your grace.

(c) 2009 Thom M. Shuman