By: Gabby Zhou

Death lurks in the background,
The soft humming behind,
Quiets along each step,
As breath is left behind.

The unyielding whispers,
With arms open wide,
Death is waiting there,
By the corner of the street.

It’s the unspoken truth of every tale,
The pretty princesses in the fairytales,
All with joyful endings,
Yet in those stories, the lies lay there.

In its waiting, death lends perspective,
Urging us to cherish each fragile breath,
To savor moments, embrace the now,
For in this waltz, death shapes life’s depth.

Love is always waiting, a patient breeze,
A reminder to live, cherish, and endure,
For in death’s shadow, life finds its chance.
Across that street, ‘round that corner, is also our time.

Image Credit by James Wheeler