winter around the corner
and where will i be
when the last day of autumn
has exhaled its last breath
i can feel something more
than the cold creeping
in the cracking of my ribs
and there is a pain
beyond the numb sleeping
in the stagnate pulse of my blood

winter around the corner
and how will i be
when the last day of autumn
walks away with
the marrow of my bones
when my ribs are cold and still
when my pulse has gone to sleep
how will i be
at the winter of my death

no worry dear friends...

I am in no rush to go
it has been a full life
it continues still
to be a good life

love and joy abundant
grief and loss and sorrow
painfully they have been  
but durable
bearable
no tale of life can walk
a road free from days
of melancholy rain

my heart
what stories it would tell
if i could pull it from my ribs
and sit it here upon the stage

it may curse my name
it may tell of heavy woe
but for every burdened song
there was a blessing
a time of immortal feats
a pause along infinity’s horizon
a night that held down the sun
for one last eternal kiss

a memory that death
will not take away

my heart often battered..
broken...
abused...
betrayed...
never stopped beating
never stopped believing
never stopped loving
those that made it love

i look back through
summers spent and gone
and feel the autumn
spreading through my bones  
i suspect the winter of my death
will come with snow
and gentle wind

a passing day that will give way
to eternal night
and much like life has been
I suspect the winter of my death
will be just as beautiful