a cup of tea with death

I swam 3000 yards
as I am wont to do
and afterward decided
to have a cup or two

I drank too fast
and choked a bit
and as i made a gasp
death came to take a sit

I glanced into his sockets dry
and cape as black as pitch
showing death in all its forms
but not the suffering fits

there were fearful cancers
with flat malignant spread
canon balls and arrows
the fearfully aged dead

I knew some and some I don't
All the ways a person dies
and so I asked, 'a cup for you?'
"don't mind if I do," he sighs

Do you fear me little one
I answered not so much
his bony hand reached for mine
and held it in a clutch

Friend he said I'm here for you
whenever do you need me
I'm good for all in pain
of that I'm sure you see

I bring a peace to everyone
the emperor and slave
are equal in my gentle arms
from pain all do I save

The one who has too many kids
the ones who die alone
the ones with happy full lives
the ones without a bone

And all are treated equally
the sinner and the saint
the artist and the ditch digger
tell me if they aint

I relieve them of the loads
their burdens hard to bear
the work they think they have to do
their hunger and their fear

So tell me will you go with me
and swim that final mile
I put my hand on top of his
and gave a little smile

Not tonight my good old friend
Then I will wait for you
and when the world has been too much
we'll ride together we two.