The Way I Die

I watched the last eagle fly into the sky
spread your wings, my friend, before you fall
swerve around the cities before you hit the wall
and just before you’re taken down by their guns
you’ll scream: “please tell me this isn’t the way I die”

or you could be on the beach tanning in the sun
maybe you’ll even go for a swim in the sea tonight
don’t notice the tsunami they predicted for you
don’t start sprinting until the waves run you through
you’ll scream: “why does this have to be the way I die?”

or maybe the bullets fly at you left and right
clad in green you fight in some deserted dry plain
with only hostility and burned down oil rigs to gain
they’ll shoot at you ’cause you don’t fight in God’s name
make you scream: “don’t let this be the way I die”

and I hope you’re not 90 sitting on an old bench
stuck with diabetes arthritis and a filthy stench
they’ll feed you liquids but you don’t taste the mess
body too broken down to feel your children’s caress
only whispering: “might this be the way I die?”

so when it’s time for you to leave this rotten land
I hope you’ll think of the very last words I said
maybe you’ll have a fate beating some of the best
but don’t think you’ll be laid gracefully to rest
burning you’ll howl “Why can’t I decide the way I die?”

A few words about me: I’m Joanna, and I’m a scientist, a traveller, a language enthusiast, and a lover of poetry. I wandered the world until I got so lost I returned home to sit comfortably by the fireside, watching the world go crazy as I put my words on paper. My blog is http://likeapolyglot.wordpress.com.

If you would like to have your work published in The Poetry Bar send your poem, a few words about yourself and the link to your blog to the e-mail poetrybar1@gmail.com