Death, I’ve seen you dance under a scarlet sky
In the pale light of a crescent moon I saw your silhouette outside my door
Like an omnipresent shadow
You tiptoe behind on every step
You smile at life’s fickleness
You count the beats of the stricken heart
And yet you slip through my fingertips
You wait in silence for the body to crumble and the mind to fade
For every hope to die and for a darkness to descend
You’re not my adversary, not my enemy, you’re just a vengeful friend
I call out to you, my hands folded, my head bowed
The sky is scarlet tonight and the moon’s a pale crescent
Let your melancholic tune wail in the air
Let your silhouette emerge from the door
Death, I want to see you dance again
And dance tonight with my soul
(c) 2019 Niladri Mitra