quiet seething soul

how to quiet the seething soul

peering at death nearby, knowing

loss of friends, dear family members

aware of loss of my own abilities

of increased pain and

of gnawing loss of who i was

fear of who i now know myself to be

and becoming

knowing, too, i have no capacity

to slow these losses, let alone to halt

this growing deluge leading

to an abyss i fear

and yet

and yet, there is this day’s sunrise

warm with what has throughout my life

given me joy in the awe of so much

greater than myself

death is part of life

so let it be