Sentinel of hushed surrender
Hopeful savior of the weak
Visionary, full of splendor
Guides the hopeless, lost, and meek.
Watches people as they're living
Walks them onward to the end
Never good at much but giving.
Never once been called a friend.
He knows their secrets, sees their pain
He understands their woe
He prays so softly to refrain
From ever letting go
This messenger of end comes slow
Poetic in his pace
He guides you through the things you know
But never shows his face
His hands are comfort in the dark
His strides are long and tame
Upon his journey you embark
To reach from whence you came.
Upon his ship of leisured peace
You think back on your trip
Your thoughts at once begin to cease
Your mind begins to slip.
You wake up cold, but not alone
His hand holds tight to yours
He says it's time that you atone
Out on these distant shores
You face your past, you stay the course
He watches, not a word
You find inside some unknown force
His voice remains unheard
You battle on, no sense of time
Your past is turning pure
You make amends now for your crime
This road becomes your cure.
Once you are done he grabs you tight
And helps you to your feet
He whispers that you won the fight
And speaks not of defeat
He carries you the final mile
And stops before a door
He gives to you a single smile
"What are you waiting for"
You grasp the handle, holding tight
You labor as you turn
The world around you fills with light
A flame that doesn't burn
You take a step into the end
But give one last look back
You look upon your quiet friend
Who's halfway down the track.
You watch him give, for helping you,
A single labored breath
The journey must begin anew
The path of stalwart Death.