Of the Dying

Two deaths
Both started as sober
One with a sudden end
One with a gradual decline

The smell of death
The smell of despair
The smell of helplessness
The smell of anticipation

One urban
One rural
One spacious
One crammed

A dignified death
Requires some space
Space to die
With Dignity

Families
Dearest
Nearest
And the young

Wait and Watch
A few cry
Most hesitant
A distant affair

Death comes in circles
An actual death itself
A death of a dear one
The fear of death in those alive

The aged
The compatriots of the deceased
Sniffling
The tired tears

The deceased
However the way they passed
The flowers and the incense
Cancel their histories

Remember what you remember
Remember the way you remember
You pick an age of theirs
You pick a memory of theirs

For a few
The grief is hurting
For the rest
It is indeed a relief