A Tropical Thanatopsis

Light verses on leaving

“¿Qué es la vida? Una ilusión, una sombra, una ficción, y el mayor bien es pequeño: que toda la vida es sueño, y los sueños, sueños son.” ― Pedro Calderón de la Barca

Another day, another death. I went online today to tell An old friend “Fare thee well” And found he’d taken his last breath.

This is not a rare event Since so many friends are dead. Of my own demise, I have no dread, It’s a day no way to circumvent.

What most affects my mourning, As odd as it may seem, Is I saw his passing in a dream: A somnolent forewarning.

A parting visit? I say, “No way!” It’s an unanswerable question But I’m open to suggestion. What else is there to say?

Of death itself, I’m not afraid, But I am afraid of dying. It’s pain for me that’s terrifying Not leaving the parade.

And the pain of losing friends, of course — And loved ones by the score Who have moved along before. (I have reasons for remorse.)

I’ve watched my time go marching by Eight decades of great pleasure. A joy it’s been (by my own measure) So I have little to decry.

But if the virus doesn’t get me The ax of time will fall: It happens to us all. Resistance is futility.

(I’d take another year or two A decade, if you will. I’d like to see what else the swill in Washington will do.)

It’s what the Spanish poet said, Our lives are simply dreams, And dreams are dreams, it seems. Let me stay awake awhile instead.

Let the final summons come. When the sighs and smiles end, Say that laughter was my friend And let a happy song be sung.

More of my poetry on Medium is collected HERE.

With a nod to Willian Cullen Bryant