Death
When it will come
is anyone’s guess
though it must be closer now
with so much clover
on the hillside
and the fires burning
up north.
Could be tomorrow
which would be all right,
though my heart aches
for my wife
and young daughter —
but I’ve seen the boxer
rise off the canvas,
and the bull turn
on the matador
and really, what can be done
except hope for the best
and get on with sowing:
scattering the seed
and chanting for rain
which will come
when it comes.
13 thoughts on "Death"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
So current and so eternal and so……Yes.
Bill, I don’t know if you did this on purpose but you wrote a masterpiece.
Today seems the day to write about death. This is so true! Love how you bring the natural world aspects you bring into this, especially the metaphor of scattering seed.
A beautiful poem. Gives me a remarkably serene feeling given its topic. Excellent.
So direct, clear and oddly comforting. Such a great ending.
That third stanza is incredible Bill!
I like how this captures the relationship we have with mortality and ways we can find meaning and purpose in the face of this ultimate unknown.
death coming like the rain seems comforting somehow
Yes we all know it’s coming but need to live while we’re here and you convey that feeling!
so enjoyable to read your poems again this year
the last two lines are true of all life
of which death is the biggest part
Thanks Jim, it’s a pleasure to read your poems again, too.
This stanza is so lovely:
but I’ve seen the boxer
rise off the canvas,
and the bull turn
on the matador
nice work here.
i like the boxer and the bull…
and ‘closer now/with so much clover’
Beautiful!
I immediately trust a speaker who starts with such a strong voice, like in the first stanza:
though it must be closer now
with so much clover
on the hillside
and the fires burning
up north.
This is exquisite. You capture the emotion and the enigma so well. I absolutely love this poem!