I do not knock at death's door,
I dance with him, closely interlaced
We glide across the river of souls
Throughout the night until it bleeds into day.
I do not spin free of his grasp
Nor do I fall from his hands to be laid in the ground.

I cannot fall from his hands for I am chained to life.
I am tasked to live on this earth to fulfill a purpose I am unaware of
One day I will find the reason I live, but not tonight
I dance with death, slowly gliding across the river of souls
I listen to his siren’s sweet songs, the promise of the ending of pain

Yet I hear the cries of the living
They beg me to stay to fulfill my purpose
They say I matter, and they say it will get better
They have faith that it will and offer me support

Their cries are powerful, they cry overpowering the sirens sweet melody
I am chained to living, but know the realness of death
I’ve grown close to death but am still called upon by the living
The chains of living had pulled me from my dance

And after many years of pain and guilt and sorrow I know my purpose
Here I warn others of the siren’s songs.
I warn of the empty promises of death and the deception of our dance.
For I have danced with death but am bound to life