Copyright © 2001 Benjamin A. Shelton
This poem is part of a collection of very old poems I wrote when I was fairly young. As a result, the vocabulary and general tone of the poem may not be up to par with many of my newer works.

Piercing through the midnight sky,
Slowly fade away and die,
A dagger’s point within my chest,
Should I ask but why?

Fading fast, my breath away,
Blinking last, my final day,
As Death walked near, I yelled at him,
“I beg thou, please, just let me stay.”

Death kneeled down, but touched me not,
“Thou doth now see what thou forgot!
I come by day and come by night,
Tell me, now, if this were taught?”

I shook my head, I could not lie,
Bleeding swift and soon to die,
“I doth not see from whence thou came,
I’ll struggle not nor even try.”

He shook his head, a welcome, “No.”
“You are not ready and cannot go.”
“But,” said I, “I’m not to die?
Should it not be you to know?”

“Your army, has it said goodbye?”
“No, but have they yet to die?”
He turned away with not a word
And left me there to lie.