Song of Kali

by Dan Simmons

A REQUEST When I die Do not throw the meat and bones away But pile them up And Let them tell By their smell What life was worth On this earth What love was worth In the end —Kamela Das

The world is pain, O terrible wife of Siva You are chewing the flesh; O terrible wife of Siva, Your tongue is drinking the blood, O dark Mother! O unclad Mother. O beloved of Siva The world is pain.

"'What in fuck do you fucking well think you're fucking doing?'

"Who? What the shit do you mean?

"The shit with this," I said and threw the bag of coins into the air.