To Death

Death, do not think to shine
When you steal away someone in the night
Or carry off the innocent who have not lived
To be the essence of the selves they dream of.
Be not ironic to take the soldier of three tours
Of war duty, not in that war, but when he gets his hero's welcome.
Think not that you are clever to take the infirmed,
Those whose bodies or minds are riddled with weakness.
For you, Death, are merely the means of entrance
To a world where none of these hardships can exist
Where there is laughter and sunshine
And the scent of flowers is always on the breeze.
Think, then, of yourself as a portal to new life
Where your passenger changes clothes and trains
To experience carefree days and reconciliation
With all the hard choices having been made in life.
Stand beside your door with humility
For the grand effort each person makes at his trials
To learn lessons so his soul can climb a small step
And earn passage through your tunnel to rest.