J. S. Aanand writes

THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER

Winds and waters and some soft clay
Which have gathered
To form into me

Shall one day lose
The cohesive power and
Scatter in their own directions

Leaving behind a wreck
Which will be considered so useless
That it must be consigned to flames 

Is this body so useless?
These bones this flesh this beauty
This charm these glamorous eyes?

No use? And I remember
The hurry in which the kinsmen get
To attend to their pending jobs 

If the fire is a little slow
They stoke the flames so that nothing
Remains untouched by the heartless greedy fires.

All the dreams of success lovemaking
Possessions and worldly glamour
In a few minutes turn to ashes.

Only your snap in a fadeless flower garland
Hangs above on the wall
Looked sparingly and largely forgotten.

Cremation Ceremony -- I. Ketut Kantor