“Hello!” I said,
as I knocked at Life’s door.
“I have come from the dust of eternity.
I received your invitation so…,”
I paused, not knowing what else to say.
Life had such an impressive palace.
So many windows
it dazzled me in the darkness.
It looked like a galaxy,
a chandelier of quartz and glass,
and its gardens were so elaborate
I thought I’d never make it to the door.
I examined everything
and was worried I would be late.
So here I was at a loss for words,
and Life,
with a face of a thousand thoughts
looked at me and nodded.
“I got your invitation,” I volunteered,
when the world woke up
and revealed itself.
I was sleeping by a star
on the fringes of forever
when your call arrived,
and I’ve been traveling ever since.
I was afraid I’d be late,” I added.
But Life said nothing,
just smiled,
a thousand different smiles in one.
I thought,
perhaps I should leave,
but Life shook its head,
aware of my thought,
and a bell sounded in the distance
and the palace was reduced
to a small, plain house,
and there were children
playing in the back yard,
and a dog barked,
and I heard a voice say quietly,
“There is more happiness here
than in the whole universe.
“And there is a sea of tears,
more wet than all the eternal oceans,
and there is love,
more sweet than all the fruit
that will ever be grown.
And you are given time
and all its secrets,
as long as you like,
and never enough,
to learn what I am.
When we meet again
I will be called death.
My gift is your life.”