death selects

they came in the night
to remind me
family long gone
uncle jim a missionary
died in canton china
uncle walter was killed
early morning riding his bicycle
to the mill where he worked
in elmira ohio
cousin bill we called big bill
died on lake superior
on the edmond fitzgerald
at whitefish point
nephew tom died in denver
murdered by a dasterly deed
mom and pop, grandma and grandpa
died on the italian cruise ship
in their life jackets
in their cabin
in the dark
alone
he held her comforting her
until the water came
her hand in his
he felt her last breath
as her life left
then he followed her
what about the children who died
joy terror
foolish mistakes catching the innocent
the living left behind to never understand
they are all of us from everywhere
death selects calls us to come
life goes on
we forget just why