Most 'Mustful' Matter or Dust-must

Be we peasant, prince, poor, wealthy

Born to rule the roost or slave

Whether weak or strong and healthy

Whether cowardly or brave

Whether lack-a-daisy lazy

Whether driven by high goal

Short or lanky, cranky, crazy

Each of us harbors a soul

Whether we choose to believe it

Or ignore this Truth within

No one is above, beneath it;

In this little skiff of skin

Whether rich or poor in spirit

Born to lay clay bricks, play ball

Someday everyone will hear it

And answer an Awesome Call

Whether we work, thirst for pleasure

Mine for treasure that soon fails

Eternity, none can measure

When its fathom, death unveils

Pray, no matter status, station

Whether of fat calf or crust

In the God of our salvation

Pray that we have placed our trust

© Janet Martin

Ecclesiastes 2:1-7

 Remember your Creator
    in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
    and the years approach when you will say,
    “I find no pleasure in them”— 

 before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain; 

 when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim; 

 when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;

 when people are afraid of heights
    and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper drags itself along
    and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
    and mourners go about the streets.

 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well, 

 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God who gave it.