Here's To Death

Here's to death,
who makes the deer nimbler,
the fox fiercer,
and the desert pines so resourceful;
who lends greatness to old, gnarled fingers,
wanton sugar to maidens' smiles,
and bearish strength to the babe's suckling mouth;
who brings tranquillity to the wounded hare,
fiery cool to the hospital bed,
and sweetly feeds the lime-green woodland ferns.

Here's to death:
silencer of foolish, braggart voices,
wind of the brave warrior's cry,
the other side of sublime ambition's die.

Here's to death,
though I would evade him a good while longer.