When I die, lay me down under a willow tree by Peyton Michelle Bryant
When I die, lay me down under a willow tree
facing my mountains dressed in blue.
Bury me in the costume jewelry
my grandmother gave me-
a ring on every finger
two on each pinky and thumb.
Put me in the ground with my pewter wolf
still nestled in the hollow of my throat
and my sword around my neck.
I don’t want a fancy coffin;
leave me to the crows I loved so much in life.
Let my body be my final gift to the land.
Promise to only tell the truth.
Tell the truth of how I burned.
Sometimes like the sunlight
that peppers your eyelids with kisses
in the dog days of summer-
some days like a wildfire…
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