A Prayer for the Dying

May death be sweeter than the taste of mangoes in summer,
Calmer than the cool breeze that blows by the river,
Gentler than the time when you first became a mother,
Each step that takes you closer to heaven or a place like it,
May be lit with lamps of joy and goodness, flowers and fountains, birds and gardens,
Like a journey through fairyland, magical and surreal,
And for those who watch you go, their mourning be a deep celebration, a salute, a tribute,
To all that you stood up for,
May their love follow you into next life and another, forever.

The Song of the Sufi Masroof