The endless life ended
with a chuckle —
Death hung from a moist ceiling
like a bat in their mountain cave,
a rusty scythe floated midair,
chessboard & pieces scattered
around my naked feet —
You’re not ready, Daughter of Night.
And You, I see, still cannot play for keeps!
The endless life ended
with a chuckle —
Death disappeared seeking another
freshly minted tyro to rule —
ahead floated another doorway
left ajar and letting life flow
towards me, in waves of mirth
I had never tasted — so salty
the displaced lighthouse’s song,
yet I knew their words
meant my preservation
in this life
and every subsequent.