If I Should Die…
If I should die before you do
and you stand up to speak of me,
remind our friends I was a man —
not a saint or holy one
(at least not by my own right).
The flaws were many (you know it’s true)
and the sins of my youth
left their own indelible stains,
unrepeated but painful still.
More than once I played the fool;
I hope I learned well enough
to avoid the death of one.
And do not claim I’ve won the prize:
defeated Death for that’s not yet.
As long as the body and soul
remain apart, Death still rules
and has his way — but just for now.
Come the day, Death will fail
and mangled hands will break his chains.
And for God’s love — do not preach!
Do not manipulate with grief.
But please give leave for smiles and tears.
Laugh and cry and laugh some more.
And do not take my life so grave.
Life’s too short (as am I).
Laugh at me and laugh with me
and we will all laugh together.
As the tears run down your cheeks
in memory, it will be
enough to know I am missed,
that my place remains somewhere
still within your hearts — and so,
if I should die before you do
and you stand up to speak of me —
remind our friends I was a man
and that will be enough to know.
To support the poet’s benign coffee addiction: Coffee.
