Thursday, April 16, 2015

Upon Departure


He calls to say
he'll be late:

had a D.O.A.
at shift change

(paperwork still to be completed,
tasks to be checked off).

And I can't help but think
that is
how it is,

for the lady who succumbed,
for the sister, now, who had been taking care of her,
for each of us

one day.

Shift.

Change.



© 2015 Jennifer Wagner



14 comments:

Blogoratti said...

That was great...thanks for sharing!

ND Mitchell said...

Yes. That nails it and makes me feel a little sad... great writing.

Mary said...

Yes, Jennifer, that is indeed how it is..... Sad, but just as it is! One day the paperwork will be completed for us all.

Gabriella said...

I guess this is the ultimate destination for all of us, when it is our time.

Scarlet said...

Sadly, that is how it is ~ One way or another, we all get to the same place ~

Thanks for being a great host at D'verse Poetics Jennifer ~ Really appreciate your support, smiles ~

Grace

alan1704 said...

The end is just another beginning, life is fragile, eternity glorious, well done.

Rajesh said...

Arthur Miller once wrote about an Ambulance. Ironical, but true.

Eileen T O'Neill ..... said...

Indeed, this is life as it is. Births and deaths do not conform to timetables..I was a nurse and sadly death was never at a 'good time.'...

Eileen

Tank said...

I really like the play on words with Shift. Change. Death always makes me reflect on my life - take advantage of everyday you have...

Wendy Bourke said...

You're hit on a life "truism" that we often seem to forget as we attempt to bend reality into a schedule that works for us. But life is fluid and as the saying goes: Stuff happens. A really insightful "take" on the complexities and intricacies of a "normal" day.

grapeling said...

compact yet powerful, Jen ~

Sumana Roy said...

Time takes its toll baffling us and then change is mandatory....a thought provoking write Jennifer...

brudberg said...

The sad fact about change.. shift, one day the ultimate one will be done.

Intelliblog said...

A deceptively simple poem, Jennifer, for what is everyone's destination and the ultimate mystery. For many people whose work relates to death, yet another D.O.A may be routine, but it just makes these people (I think), live their life more fully.