Death Changes

Old Death is a scar, an empty eye socket, a lost limb. It has been grieved and we leave it alone most of the time except on long drives or sleepless nights. New Death is a police siren behind you, a baby crying for you in the night in a house on fire. New Death is bright red. Old Death is brown. We can pick it up and put it down. New Death picks us up and puts us down when it wants to. New Death is a mugger in an alley on your way home. Leather jacket, whiskey breath, fear smell, switch blade at your throat. That's New Death. It mugs you and steals your life for years or forever. Old Death is a tight uniform you wore, you try it on once in a while. You were drafted in the Regiment of Pain. It doesn't fit, you don't wear it but you will never be the same again. You have your memories at that private war with Death. You are a veteran now. But the Private Pain mellows into General Acceptance and the poignancy turns to peace and all New Death will lose it's sting with time and God's help forever.