Quench that fatally deceptive thought,
It'll make you postpone battles which you could have faught,
Go check the tolls of war,
They will make you very sore,
I have seen them die at every age,
Some without a dime to their name,
Both athletic and maimed,
Some worth a million dollars and some minimum wage,
I have seen them still at birth,
Born to mothers with plenty and mothers with dearth,
I have seen accidents sweep all ages to a massive grave,
Seen disease sweep the young in a mighty wave,
Without warning and without known cause I have seen them eternally sleep a peaceful sleep,
Leave loved ones behind and bereft to weep,
I have seen death visit the hamlet and the palace,
I have seen death visit Bafut and Wallace,
I have seen death surely fatally gnaw the begger and the rich,
I have seen death steal a young life through poisoned sandwich,
I have seen it claim a life through a serpent's sting,
But that is better than death through a traitor's sting,
Doesn't matter how pleasantly or viciously he comes,
He despises age, wealth and knowledge in tomes,
I pray you will live long enough,
But kill that deceptive thought,
Give this moment your best,
Just in case the next moment never comes,
You are not too young to die.
© 2010 afeseh ngwa hilary
