The Reminder Poem by roy may

The single church bells eerie boom
Serves only to enhance the gloom,
They pass the freshly open tomb
They’ve come to say goodbye.

The vicar speaks in solemn drone
Of someone he has never known,
Someone with whom they all have grown
For they are all his friends

Standing in silence in a pew
Recalling things they used to do,
The things as youths they thought they knew
Yet never understood.

They never knew their time was set,
They knew not then, they know not yet,
Just how much time they each will get
Today they’ve been reminded

No longer can they all pretend,
The lives they have will never end,
They’ve said goodbye to their old friend
None are alas immortal

Though passions rise with love or hate
For both the humble and the great
It’s time and chance that seals your fate
And everyone is counted.