Death Alarms

The clock becomes an ineffective forlorn 

to the dying cancer patient, pain’s maidservant

idly postures an indispensable stronghold, as

morphine respites the rush of aches for an hour

and lulls into peremptory sleep, pallid breaths

and dreams of miracles drought all optimism, 

soiled bedsheets of putrid urine and stained feces 

mock the debilitating sentence, time is but the 

syringe of equable compromise and inherited demise

welcomes the night as the sunlight of the morning 

loll the postponement, all gloom disposes of any 

reconciliation, dispirited desertion, and wringing 

discomfort beckons the allotted hour, the synapse 

of living and dying becomes an abject agonizing 

trepidation, alas, the scoff of death is the sword

of incurable and inveterate scorn, death’s bed is

cold, unwelcoming, and isolated; gratuity’s splendor

withers away all pleasantries, time a reverent enemy, 

surrendering the last pendant of honor becomes 

the mortal rebuke and life’s last mutinous embrace

mocks the golden hour with illusory and agonizing 

abandonment, solicitations to any good or pagan

God sought to assuage disillusionment and grief 

befalls back in an echoing and resounding deathly 

silence, faith’s deceiving and corrupt, there are no

pearly welcoming gates, there are no streets of 

endless glittering gold, only ignominy, and defeat, for

all we love will be loved no more and wretchedness

will fall upon every victim borne unto this world, only

death will secure your place in an urn or reliquary, what

was once squandered shall never by chance again.