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Death Musings

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1
On New Year’s Day my body fell as dead
Before a frightened child who hid her face
From terror’s flaunt. Death-taunts delivered dread
To this dear child with cold and reddened face
Till I woke up astonished by God’s grace.

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2
My dance with death was but a moment’s wish,
Whence I awoke but wasted by the shot
The hitman took. My heart stopped cold as fish
Till it revived with terror, having taught
Me that my life’s a shallow aliquot.

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3
I cried with Hezekiah, “Fifteen years!
Oh God, do give me fifteen years to spend
With wife and children, to help tame their fears
And see them give you glory and defend
Against the devil’s darts, my God, my friend!”

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Jeff Kemper has been a biology teacher, biblical studies instructor, editor, and painting contractor. He lives in York County, Pennsylvania.

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15 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    The first thought I had after reading your poem was “death be not proud.” The inspiration of Hezekiah asking for at least a few more years is a wonderful thought and plea! I was once at death’s door myself and faced with a dark figure that said, “come with me,” but I demurred and said “my time on earth is not finished. I still have work to do.” I woke up with that memory deep inside.

    Reply
    • Jeff Kemper

      That was my thinking. I still have a number of projects to complete and expectations to see materialized hopefully before my exit. These are three of nearly 20 “death musings” I’ve been writing.

      Reply
  2. Jeremiah Johnson

    Death as “a hitman” is a nice, modern metaphor – I feel like John Donne might have used that if “hitman” had been an available noun. A professor of mine once had a dream after a long illness in which O.J. Simpson came to her door in a black trench coat, saying she’d “cheated” him.

    Also, thanks for a new word in my vocabulary – “aliquot”

    Reply
    • Jeff Kemper

      What a dream!
      You’re welcome for the vocab addition. It was from my few years in biochemical research.

      Reply
  3. Margaret Coats

    Jeff, this is a finely wrought description of an encounter with death. It is good composition in three stages, and even the placement of the event on New Year’s Day implies new life. You omit the unnecessary details of ambulance and emergency room that so often have a part in such experiences for persons in our times. That enables you to focus clearly and consistently on the spiritual essence of the story, adding poetic details to unify the whole. By these I mean “taunt” and “flaunt” in the first stanza, the cold face of the child and the temporarily cold heart of the father (along with dread suffered by the child and terror by the father) in the first and second stanzas, and the move from one frightened child as witness in the first stanza, to the revived father’s concern for the entire family in the prayer of the last. Very good indeed!

    Reply
    • Jeff Kemper

      Thank you, Margaret. I like your analyses of poems!

      It is a brief reflection of a very long and harrowing day. I could have written a poem on the bumpy ambulance ride through town with the most painful IV-stick I have ever experienced.

      Reply
      • Margaret Coats

        Glad you are still with us, Jeff! The preacher I heard just this past Sunday said if God gives you afflictions, He is interested in saving you.

  4. jd

    Enjoyed the poem, Jeff, for all the reasons cited but also for the expositions, added gems of “teaching moments” a term one of my favorite people, Rush Limbaugh, loved to use.

    Reply
  5. Gregory Ross

    This is a great reflection on death, and especially the thoughts that rush to your mind. Some years ago, I almost died in a helicopter crash at sea and as I was underwater my thoughts immediately went to my wife and children, and I said a similar prayer to God, as you did…although it wasn’t as poetic! Nice job!

    Reply
    • Jeffrey Kemper

      Thanks, Gregory. It’s interesting how one’s interests change as death becomes more relevant with aging or with emergency-experiences.

      Reply
  6. Daniel Dal Monte

    Is this poem about the Jewish king Hezekiah based on a story about him in the Bible? Did he have a near death experience?

    Reply
    • Jeff Kemper

      Hesekiah was told to get his house in order because he would die soon, after which he prayed for more time. God granted him 15 more years. My heart was the one in the poem that took a hit on New Year’s day, and I did pray for 15 more years to live.

      Reply
  7. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Jeff, I read this series of thought-provoking poetic musings when they first came out. I pondered upon them and decided to revisit the page when I had given them more thought. I’ve returned today to find they are based on your personal experience. They’re still offer plenty to mull on, but they are now so much more… they are bursting with the wants, needs, and prayers of their creator… selfless needs… real needs… impassioned pleas for more time. Jeff, these shining poems have me crying with Hezekiah too! I pray you are with us for many more years.

    Reply
    • Jeff Kemper

      I just now read your response, Susan. I’m glad you deemed my muses worthy of your additional musing. Thank you. As I entered my 60s my thoughts about death increased in number and severity. Now, ten years later I am thankful with each additional day.

      Reply

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