The Obituaries

I’ve always read the obituaries; Though I am not sure really why. At first I found them curious; Now, they just make me cry. Originally they were all strangers to me, But I loved to read their stories. Took note of age and cause of death; Read the accounts of their past glories. Soon I started recognizing last names, And wondered if they were relatives of friends. I was always much more curious About how these folks had met their ends. Then as I started getting older And my circle of acquaintances did grow, I started reading obituaries Of people I had come to know. Now that I am over fifty, I am finding names of friends and peers; I’ve even had to submit a few Of my own these past few years. Funny how this habit of mine, That I started when I was learning to read, Has changed into a source of grief From a young boy’s curiosity.