We are so often

reminded of our mortality

through media, literature,

songs, and stories,

but we spend our whole lives never really thinking death can touch us.

Until he does.

We lose a pet in childhood,

and the first whisper of his breath

brushes against our necks.

We then lose a parent, or sibling, or cousin,

and his icy hands now have a grip on you

and he won’t let go.

Through these losses,

we learn to live with them.

Our bodies become accustomed

to the chill of his breath,

and the ice of his fingertips.

The blood in our veins

runs a little faster each time

his grasp tightens,

just to keep ourselves warm.

To compensate for keeping ourselves warm,

we are drained of our energy.

We put everything into

sustaining this extra bit of warmth,

as our bodies keep getting

colder

and 

colder.

You watch people around you,

the lucky ones,

who have never felt

death’s freezing hands.

You watch them, 

so full of warmth,

and life,

as you are slowly drain yourself,

trying to maintain that same heat.

Your heart gets stronger, 

your veins get bigger, 

and you feel like,

maybe,

you are warming up,

but death keeps pushing,

and he tightens his grasp.

People who have never been cold,

will tell you that you will get warmer.

That it just takes time.

They won’t know they’re wrong

until it’s too late.

You don’t ever get warmer.

You get stronger.

You learn to accept the cold.

You learn to work a little harder,

and smile at the warmth of others.

You will always yearn for warmth,

As you slowly get colder your whole life.

But that’s okay,

because one day,

when you’ve spent your whole life

with death’s freezing hands

wrapped around your neck,

you will realize 

that you’ve become numb to the cold,

and you will see death as an old friend,

and he will welcome you into his arms,

and you will finally,

be warm.