'Til pale pink hour of evening turns -
Grey-hooded sundown brings nightfall,
And shank of owl-light dimpsy draws
'Til dead and off Death it comes.

LIFE and DEATH

Death is an accident, a fact,
An incident, a bloody do ....
Affair, matter, thing, concern,
As things turn out .... its back.

It is imminent ... any minute
Approaching, nearing, looming close.
An attack impending ... to be expected
Any moment ... it will attack!
Frequently Death prevails,
In common occurrence, oft returns:
Without cease, perpetually, constant,
Regularly I hear the fiend hunt.
It's rare, uncommon, unusual & seldom
I see Death doing its job.
Once in a dog's-age or blue moon,
Pro hac vice, I'll chase it off.
Intermittent, spasmodic, on and off,
Wavering, flicking, spastic, erratic,
By fits & jerks, snatches & catches,
Death sporadically gnashes.
It is a presence, an omnipresence
That permeates and overruns .....
It haunts and hangs around like mist
That always scares or chills.
It's always absent, non attendant,
Playing hooky without leave.
It's always nowhere to be found,
Out of sight ... but always there.
It lives, it habitates, it dwells,
Quarters, billets, rooms and berths.
It camps, it bivouacs, it roughs