Death Knocks in the Neighborhood
Death knocks in the neighborhood
Shocks us
Stops us.
Stabs us with regrets
(I should have called)
Sends us scurrying to
order flowers (she loved pink roses)
make a dish (it was her favorite)
rearrange schedules (it wasn’t that important)
Death knocks in the neighborhood
Reunites – reconnects.
Finds us retelling histories
recalling virtues
lingering over stories
laughing and hugging
and crying and laughing
Death knocks in the neighborhood
Suddenly –
life is sweeter.
We promise to work less,
visit more,
But Death passes on
for now.
And we go back to our rut.