NO DOMINION

The first time he read the poem by Dylan Thomas, Death

Was irritated. "And Death shall have no dominion" indeed!

Death knows that, though he takes all things away

There are things he cannot take. Still, he believes

He will always have some dominion, be it only

The size of Monaco (not Monaco, though; he dislikes Monaco).

Over time, though, Thomas' words grew on him.

He'd intone them solemnly when he scrambled eggs

Pausing dramatically after his name and then booming out

"Shall have no dominion." Souls, new startled from their bodies

Would be told that they’d be one with the man in the wind

And the west moon. Not recognizing the quote, bare souls

Would find themselves unsettled by the possibility

That Death was off his rocker. "They be mad," he'd say

"And dead as nails" and his voice dark music

The trees stretched and bent themselves to hear.