Cold Fingers

When you're young death's icy fingers

can't touch you

it's a mysterious force you hear about

but never see.

You don't know what it's like

to lose someone other than a pet

but it comes,

and it takes.

Its an unbelievable force

one you don't want to be real

and, until it touches you

it's not.

You see them small and frail

and you think that maybe as you've grown up

you've stolen something of theirs.

The strength they used to braid your hair

and cook you food

and clean you up,

you feel like you stole.

You never have had anyone close to you pass,

until they do.

After they're gone it's impossible,

it's not real.

You realize the temporariness

of everything.

The ease life's just

taken away.

And your heart, you feel death's fingers grope at it

and harden it around the edges,

and make it hide within itself.

Don't think about them,

don't talk about them.

Just wait until death can't touch you again,

until his cold fingers go away,

and it can start beating again. 

 -R.M.C