Shared Space

Shared Space

In the comfort of the West

people have grown up with Death

as the elusive neighbor

who lives next door

or maybe even down the block

The elusive neighbor

who every so often 

but rarely

will need to borrow a cup of sugar

leaving the sense that something

has been borrowed or taken or stolen

In other parts of the world

people do not live with Death as a neighbor

They live with Death as a roommate

What belongs to them

belongs to Death as well

and always has

That cup of sugar can't have been

borrowed or taken or stolen

Because their kitchen is Death's kitchen too

Every space is shared

Every day and every moment

Shared

When something goes missing

it is less of a surprise

The surprise is more in that it was allowed to endure as long as it was

and there is more gratitude

for the time that it was

written '08 or '09