What Comes Before - a poem

Breath of Winter?
Original design hand drawn on computer and edited in Pixlr

Tis time for the Thursday/Friday post!

The picture above was originally black and white with her breathing green. Thus "Breath of Winter?" But as is my habit, I played with it, and here's the sepia colored version.

What Comes Before -2011 

They stood before me in a row,  

Cloaked in terror, joy and snow,

One, his face was plump and cheery, 

Another his hands held gray poverty, 

A woman had a gown of water and air, 

And I saw a girl with white flowers in her hair. 

Then I saw a man with eyes full of tears. 

And a man with his back pressed by years. 

They stood with an ethereal glow. 

One at a time I watched them go. 

But three stayed and kissed my head. 

Each was clothed in a fresh blood red. 

The first held a cup filled with thin bread, 

The second wore a cross of heavy lead and in his cup he held scarlet wine. 

The third’s cup held water and a scriven line, 

Then, a last one arrived unheard, 

And he parted swiftly without a word.

In short, this is me worrying not about dying, but about how I will die.