Churning

Ten minutes to the end—

What do you do? What would

You do if in ten minutes you

Would churn away, to dust,

With Death's hand on the crank?


She awaits your ashes to sprinkle

In her garden but you may

Not be ready. There's plenty to do

In ten minutes I suppose—though

I think most of us would


Hold our breaths until the churning

Started—hoping that Death would

Be merciful and give us something

For the pain.