The Last Waltz Poem by Dónall Dempsey

Twilight enters the room
it doesn’t bother to knock
“Ahh…yes…a guest…I know Mr. Death! ”

Death bows before me
like a bad
impression of Rudolph Valentino

death asks if
he can have this dance
I feel I can’t refuse

“Ahhh… Death…Mr. Death! ”
I swoon as if in a bad melodrama
“I could die in your arms! ”

and suddenly the party was:
over in an instant
the orchestra packing up their instruments

the Past had been packed away
the Future to be put on hold
Now was the only now I could afford

music lingered
like cigarette smoke
writing itself upon the air

“Ahhh…that’s Life! ”
trying to snatch it from the air
the music slipping through my fingers

“Now…now! ” Death smirks
“I’ll have none of that! ”(my heart stopped)
I took his hand…we…stepped into the dark