Natural Causes
April 11 2005


It was natural causes
in the end,
so there was really no necessity to fret
after all,
about exceptional circumstances
and unexpected disasters
and early exits before you could fully execute the plan.
As if getting older was no different than ballistics
and the trajectory had finally come to land.

This happens in your sleep
or in bed, peacefully
with last words said to attentive ears bent close,
as if you’d been given notice
and were content to go
just then.

Nevertheless
I have started to consider epitaphs
and have in mind a final statement
just in case
— a man who never wanted to be late.