Death Calls to Me  

Death calls to me in an ancient tongue
Across the sea, past the gods sleeping
On Mount Olympus
Past the graves of prophets, saints and sinners

Death calls to me in tones of torment
And rapture
The creaking of Charon's ferry
As he makes his way down the River Styx

Death calls to me
Place a coin on the lifeless tongue
To pay the fare, to gain passage
To the underworld

Place a blade on my vein
My blood and the river
The dark water lapping at my edges
My blurry contours clinging halfheartedly to life

Death calls to me like a lover from another time
Caresses my skin
Cold and damp as the river in my veins

© 2006 Margaret Haugen