it was a very dreary grey day
(much like today)
it was a very wrinkled old man
with a blue bowtie
with yellow
polka
dots
who stared out his window
into the fog
and said
"today will be
a perfectly lovely
day to die"

he took his cane
and
slowly
slowly
slowly got his
coat
(it was tattered and wrinkled and worn)

he considered
calling his daughter
to say
goodbye
but she was always
too busy
with that desk job
of hers
(she had not come home for christmas that year)

he did
however
say goodbye to
his wife
"goodbye" he said
"i love you horribly
see you soon"
he left a dozen
tulips
(she had always hated roses)
on the grass
in front of the
marker which
he had chosen
so
carefully

then slowly
slowly
slowly
walked home
bones (and soul)
creaking as
he went

he straightened
his little
blue bowtie
with the yellow
polka
dots
and laid down
on his side
of
their
bed
(he didn't want to wrinkle her side - he had enough wrinkles for the both of them)
he smiled
and said
"goodbye house
thanks for the
memories
be good to
whoever gets
you next"
and closed his eyes

then slowly
slowly
slowly

went to sleep

(he & his wife now live in a lovely gated community on the upper east side of elsewhere)