Death's Gift (changed from Rich)

[Turtle]

EDIT #2
riches aren't measured
shiny trinkets or
gold pieces
no – no – no
those
are illusion

learning how to give life
to a fire,
sharing unconditionally
with another,
spending an afternoon
in the forest,
or teaching a child
how to read
the stars...

when life comes
to death,
these are the riches
that give us breath.


EDIT #1
riches aren't measured
shiny trinkets or
gold pieces
no – no – no
those
are illusion

learning how to give life
to a fire,
sharing unconditionally
with another,
spending an afternoon
in the forest
with people and love,
or teaching a child
how to read
the stars...

when life breathes
its last breath,
nothing, even riches
do we keep
in death.

ORIGINAL
Riches aren't always measured
in gold pieces
no, no, no,
those are simply shiny trinkets
to keep our attention fixed
on illusion.

My riches were gained when I learned
how to give life
to a fire,
or when I shared
unconditionally
with another,
or when I spent that afternoon in the forest
with the people I love,
or when I taught that child
how to read
the stars...

When it all comes to that point in life
when we all realize our mortality
for one last time
as we breathe our last moments
of breath,
these are the riches we keep in death.