the hospital teaches us
the way of the world
joy, sadness, and despair
spike the air with facts of life
and -death
the recovered are cheers -
god is with them
the still sick a gloomy bundle -
the guardian angel
is on his way to god
with his get well prayers
the terminaly ill are as well as dead
their physiques numbed to
the order of the heart and mind
- the god slowly but surely pulls
away the blessing of life
the hospital teaches
us the way of the world
a death is just another chore
nurses and attendants
fill out forms, clean
and summon men
to have the new dead
rolled into mortuary
away from sight
in the fastest fashion
affections and tears
are for only those
close to our hearts
inspired by
To die—takes just a little while—
They say it doesn't hurt—
It's only fainter—by degrees—
And then—it's out of sight—
A darker Ribbon—for a Day—
A Crape upon the Hat—
And then the pretty sunshine comes—
And helps us to forget—
The absent—mystic—creature—
That but for love of us—
Had gone to sleep—that soundest time—
Without the weariness—
Emily Dickinson
john tiong chunghoo
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-die-takes-just-a-little-while-2/