Every Time

An integral part 

Of life 

Is the simple fact 

Of death 

And how we deal with it 

Of course 

We run from it 

(Sometimes literally) 

Some ignore it 

Some question it 

Others study it 

Some rush 

To its embrace 

While others 

Do everything to avoid it 

Accepting 

Death is waiting 

Is not being defeatist 

It is just pragmatic 

If one lives 

One will eventually cease 

One will die 

And encounter death 

Along one’s path 

We must all deal 

With death 

I never want to get good at it 

I want it to hurt 

I want it to nearly break me 

Every time 

I want it to tear through my soul 

Taking pieces of me with it 

I want to be different 

I want to be changed 

Every time 

I want to weep 

I want to anguish 

I want to lament 

I want to suffer 

Publicly 

With others 

I want to cry 

Privately 

Every time 

I want it to shroud my life 

I want light to dim 

I want shadows to darken 

I want life's glory to suffer 

I want happiness to languish 

I want love to be pierced 

For some undetermined time 

Every time 

I know 

The light will return 

The shadows will fade 

Life’s glory will recover 

Happiness will rebound 

Love will heal 

Death will walk away 

Life will step back in 

Every time 

I will never embrace death 

I simply accept it’s inevitability 

Today 

I walk in the sunshine 

I savor relationships 

I earnest covet my friendships 

I luxuriate in love 

For tomorrow 

I may deal with death 

© Ron Simpson Jr. 

August 2, 2022