13 Ways of Looking at Death

I.
It is the end of life.
When the heart stops beating;
The brain stops thinking;
The lungs stop breathing.

II.
A hooded figure,
Cloaked in darkness…
The curved blade of the scythe
Gleams in the blackness.

III.
A sweet release,
After a long sickness…
You are finally free.
The pain is gone.

IV.
It strikes like lightening;
Causes fear, anger, sadness.
No one is safe
From its grasp.

V.
A mysterious force.
Why does it happen?
How does it happen?
The answer eludes all.

VI.
Paradise or eternal torment-
Which would you choose?
Only your actions dictate that choice.
Only you control your destiny.

VII.
A continuous cycle,
Winter and spring,
Death and rebirth.
Will it ever stop?

VIII.
Fear-
It grips the human race.
Fear of the unknown;
Fear of the loss of a loved one.

IX.
A killer in the night.
He stalks the unsuspecting,
Preys upon the weak-
Like a lion on the hunt.

X.
Morbid and somber,
The procession marches through the streets.
The citizens stand aside,
As the dead pass by.

XI.
Corpses rot on the barren field.
A sound of gunfire in the distance.
The bodies are faceless,
Nameless…

XII.
A chunk of rock falls.
As it hits, it scars the Earth.
Even the strongest of creatures are killed.
Lush forests become barren deserts.

XIII.
A way to save others;
One group dies so the others can live.
One may call it simple logic; natural selection,
But it is just death.