How Much Dying

Have you witnessed, have you done,
Will you do? We’re not checking
Your morals. We’re asking you

To ask yourself and answer
Yourself, as you can, the truth.
There are many young bodies

Who have done very little
Dying yet, none of their own,
Who have seen too much, too soon.

There are peaceful elderly
Pensioners of prosperous
Nations, dying from the head

Down in assisted living
Homes who’ve never witnessed much.
Between youth and dementia,

Lie many more fortunate
Lives that will not have to do
Much dying or witnessing

Or forgetting what they saw
Before they vanish for good,
Not that they’ll see this as good.

But you may be one of those
Who will have to die so much,
Pain will obliterate thought,

Although you don’t think so yet,
Since, if you don’t hurt enough
You can’t think, can’t think you will.