It was an idle Tuesday, if I correctly recall
That we struck up our first conversation
When I saw you from afar, in that indistinguishable bar
Before approaching you with some trepidation
It wasn’t your appearance that caused unease in me
Nor was your disposition of any note
You stood casually cool, amidst an overflowing pool
Of mediocre men guzzling beer down their throats
Though a stranger detached, in my presence you knew
That I’d been waiting for this my entire life
To look into the eyes that could reveal my demise
And in the final crescendo, release me of strife
But death, like skilled men, knows how to tempt
To tease his prey before relenting
To her whimsical needs, and her heart that bleeds
For a dance with the devil that churns deep within
“Why does a beauty like you choose me amongst men?”
Are the first words that death utters to me
“Because you’re the only solution, to the mental pollution
Clouding the impetus that wills me to be”
“From this deluge of men, the only insight I’ve gained
Is that I am unequivocally alone
Each stale interaction masks a vacant distraction
And so I ride a breath that’s already flown
“Death, prey tell, how does a man of your stature see me?
Where do I teeter between suffering and success?
I need your clarity of vision, and your ultimate decision
That will guide me away from all this distress
“My adorable girl, how you do make me laugh
For I am not your martyr, nor your salvation
That you have sought me out, proves beyond reasonable doubt
That I must avoid the lure of temptation
“You see, my imperative’s to remain incognito
So that the dying should never fear my advance
When with a nonchalant step, I draw them closer to death
While affording them an affable glance
“Petal, this conversation is not of that world
And there are still many bars you must frequent
Before coming home with me, so much awaits you, you’ll see
Because your life, my dear is perfectly decent”
Then death retreated beyond the beer-soaked haze
Where I was left to converse with me
Awake to each breath, I felt vindicated by death
Now at ease with a future that I could not foresee
Thought-provoking poem, Natanui!
Arohanui
Trish
Another beautiful poem that leaves one thinking.