Don’t Bury My Bones
By Sarah Linde ’24
ENGL 213: Nature Writing and Environmental Literature
The poems and the connections to course materials that Sarah created in “Final Pursuit: A Series of Poems with Connections” surprised and captivated me as a reader. Her imagery and voice sing with different tones and perspective; I particularly enjoy her sense of humor.
– Mary Stark
“Don’t Bury my Bones”
Nicole Lutz – Conte crayon on toned paper, 15” x 15”, Drawing: Traditional to Digital
When I die
Don’t bury my bones
Let my body rest,
Let it gently decompose
And when the animals come
To gnaw at my bones
Let them taste
The sweet secrets of my marrow.
Let me rot,
Let me sink.
And with the courage you brought,
Plant flowers in my skin,
And let the roots connect my thoughts
To the earth,
To the worms
To the deepest things in
The soil
The core
The planet’s metal heart.
When my time’s finally come,
Don’t bury my bones.
There are other things here,
My body still needs to know.