In Shadows They Hide - Poetry Devoted to Darkness and Fear

The Dead and The Living

I am repeatedly told that living is the way to go.
But this choice of living I’m not truly sold.
For one thing that’s bad and uncontrolled,
is when you’re living you eventually grow old.

This leads to poor vision, hard hearing and sore knees.
An early sign is forgetting where you left your keys.
Soon the immune system becomes prone to disease.
This tends to make the living irritable and hard to please.

No matter what age, I swear all they do is argue or complain.
One is not happy until another is feeling shame or to blame.
This leads to the living dealing with regret and similar pain.
So some learn to suppress emotions and become inhumane.

The living dwells on appearance causing much despair.
Too skinny, too fat, ear and nose hair they can’t bear.
The living is so quick to judge someone by what they wear.
And comment on the style or colour of another one’s hair.

These are the traits of the living I deeply dread; 
Envy, greed, and regret; Becoming frail and stuck in a bed.
I think perhaps we are all better off dead instead.
None of these traits take precedence in the land of the dead.

There is no need for money and no reason for war.
You never feel pain and never grow old.
Bed head is common and scruffy clothing the décor; 
You spend most days outdoors exploring in friendly hoards.

I invite you to join us in our peaceful domain.
Membership is cheap; simply hand over your brain!

Constantine 2015