Life's Shadow

LIFE’S SHADOW

As a child I worried not, he lived so far away

Ignored, he placed me on his list, marked with an unknown day

Even when I caught a glimpse, as he touched some distant kin

I shrugged him off and never thought of when he may come again

As a man, I saw his face, and his ghastly grin,

When he came to stand beside the bed, of my Dad, my hero, my friend

The air about him bittersweet, from his eye a single tear

My heart confused with what to feel, peace or mortal fear

When life turned hard as time beat on, his whisper I did hear

His services he offered me, for those that I held dear

He shared plans and schemes and tricks, if I cared to try

He never pushed but steadfastly stood, to watch my daily cry

As I pressed on, he cheered for me; my eyes were finally dry

And quietly faded from my view, without a warm goodbye

I thought perhaps, “He’s not so bad, I should not fear the end”

But I was grossly unprepared, for when he came again

He did not call out, or wave or knock, as I ran around the bend

He stealthy creep upon my back, and squeezed my life within

For time eternal it felt to me, his taunting I endured

Until the sweet escape I found; my mind was finally cured

And now I am an older man, my life has mostly poured

And he comes by from time to time, to p r i c k me with his sword

No remorse did he provide, for the brutal time that past

Not his fault, it is his way; his dye has long been cast

And so the peace that I once sensed, has come again at last

I fear him not, I know his role; I pray he will act fast

For he is not the end you see, when comes my final day

He is but the ferryman, to carry me away