Encumbrance Of A Physical Body Poem by Louise Tredoux

Rudi has been taken into hospital,
if he has to die, so shall I, I cannot
live under conditions like this – how
carry on when he isn’t there? If he
has chosen to die, so shall I, I shall
not carry on in this world without
him about, how could I return to the
nothingness of the days of my birth

How could I accept the emptiness
of my youth, the loneliness, the
uncertainty of everything – when
he agrees to move on? Once again,
a lonely vigil for him, I shall live to
pray and fast until he returns to me,
if he doesn’t, I’ll give up life, in such
a way that the Christians will not

Condemn me to hell – just dying
slowly of a broken heart – pain in
all forms is acceptable, quick, efficient
release of any kind is totally wrong, in
Christian eyes only suffering will do, so
I’ll give it to them, this life was a farce
of unhappy stupidity, with only Rudi
to lighten my life – if he

Has decided to give up his spirit, so shall I,
I have nothing to live for – my only goal has
ever been to find my soul – and I can find
it so much better without the
encumbrance of a
physical body...