When death Comes

When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut…

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular…

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth

When it’s over, I want to say:
all my life
‘I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.’

— Mary Oliver