Lady Death

Death -

so close to me

yet such a stranger -

takes a long, thin, white finger

and draws an invisible line down my back,

touching off each nerve along the way

It's cold

I flinch

yet somehow it invigorates me

I won't look back,

nor can I

Although death whispers to me,

I tease her

letting her come close enough to touch -

but not grasp -

any part of me

as long as there is the space there 

to laugh,

I know I'm safe

In my dreams,

she nears closer,

but awake, I hold strong

against her;

not fearful,

only amused

But death has other plans for me, yet

she also laughs

Every once in a while, we sit down in a 

smoke-filled room

and play poker

and joke that the winner takes 

my life

but death is a terrible poker player

I never worry

There was a time, once, 

when I confronted death

I told her that she might as well 

have me, now

she told me, 

honestly,

she didn't want to see it happen

our games together had been

too much fun

she talked me out of it

sometimes, even she is reasonable

Death holds no secrets from me

and there are no surprises

when she wants me, I will go

I can't argue, when she's let me come this far

Some say they are ruled by faith 

or hope

or high ideals

but I am the best friend of death

she is a gray and awesome woman

and knows things that I should never

hope to know

but she provides the life in me

When she holds out her hand,

I will take it

I will trust her judgement

and when she finally calls my name,

I will follow...

- Jan. 17, 1984, A.D.