Dear Death

Dear Death,

I wasn't planning to go somewhere
Too far, only far enough to smile—
Only far enough to take my sighs away.

So, under the starlight, 
I buried my life in flame, 
And pleaded the pain to leave—
To leave me and go away.

The fire bloomed like a dream. 
There were butterflies dancing
To welcome Death. 
Dear Death, you came to take my life away.

I heard life's sweet
Departure, and I held on
To the weak sand
As the suffocating waves took me away. 
I bade the shadow
To take me, and I kissed the night
Good night. Yes, 
Yes, I left and went somewhere—
Somewhere far away.

Dale Chou
2000-08-11