Ashes to Ashes
The joss sticks keep on burning and
the plume of smoke slowly rising,
seeping slowly into the mass like an invisible thread,
tying the people together, sharing experiences,
strengthening spiritual bonds.
The scented smoke arouses the senses,
awakening ancestors long ago and far away,
calling souls and spirits from another dimension.
The smoke is circling over the crowd and finally
dissipating into thin air like a ghost, carrying messages
to unknown destination, and delivering them to
unfathomable metaphysical forces in the universe.
Then, the joss sticks turn to ashes and blow away in the air
like tossing the ashes out of the urns to scatter
over the final resting place, laying to rest the deliverers,
ashes to ashes, dust to dust, rest in peace.
The burning of the joss sticks is the act of sacrifice
and the sacrificial lambs are innocent and pure.
The joss sticks are giving the ultimate gift,
not only sacrificing lives, but also cremating
the bodies to make the offering to the Gods.
A pagan ritual used to appease the Gods and
redeem Gods' punishments, just like Jesus
unselfishly sacrificed his body for our sins.
This is sacred.
This is the natural cycle of life:
death in order to give birth and re-birth,
sacrifice in order to forgive.
A deed that is done so unselfishly without regret or protest.
After a while, the endless wishes have spoken, the final
gratitude and appreciation have been paid and reminisced
and the voices and messages faded into the distance.
As the observer and the unbeliever, I just stood there
with chills down my spine and all thankful just the same.
