"Don't forget," the wise man said,
"That all who came before are dead.
It's not something that you should fear.
It happens to us all, my dear."

I heard his words and gave them thought...
they seemed against all I'd been taught.
Aren't we told to put off death
with all our being--every breath?

I asked the wise man what he meant
but he answered, "My time here is spent,"
and drifted off into the light
before I got to say "Good night..."

Although he's gone now, I recall--
whenever tears of sorrow fall--
that we may meet again some day,
when it's my turn to fade away.