Classic Poem

Death is waiting patiently outside the door
Smoking a cigarette
Notching the minutes into his belt
His dark eyes fixed upon some distant star
One more puff
Then
He snuffs the butt out in the sand
Turns
And with an outstretched hand

Opens the latch.


(Previously published in Pegasus, Vol.15, No.1, Spring 2000; The Poet's Porch, Dec.2000)