Where is this place?Lying still within a casket, I see the faces I once knew.What is this piercing chill?The sound of wailing1) sorrow, and the air grown heavy and still.Sense has faded from my eyes and limbs,I strive to rise, but find no strength within.The heavy, somber scent of wood drifts from the coffin;Oh, my weary body, adorned so humbly with flowers.The shroud, the binding cloths2), and the white peaked hood3) —Ah, at last, I understand.A desperate touch before the lid is sealed,The tear-stained fare for the journey, left by my children’s hands.Now, nothing more is needed;A peaceful rest in one’s family gravesite after the cremation.Though I know not if I shall be laid to rest in safety,I embrace only the faith of my family, as my soul is called to heaven4).
1) Wailing : The ritual sound of mourning - a traditional, sorrowful lamentation performed for the deceased.
2) Binding Cloths : Hemp or linen strips used to bind the body securely during the process of shrouding.
3) Peaked Hood : A white, cone-shaped piece of hemp fabric used to cover the head during the final stage of the shrouding ritual.
4) Called to Heaven : A term signifying that one has been "summoned by Heaven," used to describe a sacred and peaceful passing.