I was on a walk one day when I encountered a child kicking a can as he
She walked
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Nothin, just kickin’ this life down the road.
“You mean you are kicking a can down the road” I corrected.
“Yes and yes,
It’s a can and it’s a life” he she replied.
I started to laugh and to humor the child I said,
“Whose life?”
“YOUR LIFE” the kid said in reply.
Suddenly,
I felt dizzy
My body
Mind
Whirling
Banging
Dinging
Smashing into things
Being kicked
Smashed into things
As I heard voices around me
Then……… it all stopped and in wonder, looking up into the sky and a blurred child’s face above,
I asked in a last gasp whisper…
“Who are you
WHAT are you?”
The child’s face grew horrible and beautiful
Sad and peaceful at the same time and said,
“I AM DEATH”
I felt the life escaping me as I lay there and then Suddenly I felt myself KICKED again…
Dizzy
My body
Mind
Whirling
Banging
Dinging
Smashing into things
Being kicked
Smashed into things
As I heard A around me
Above me say,
“Here,
Let me kick the can for a while…”
I got up,
Shaky
I looked at another kid
A new kid
And in a quivering voice said…
“Hey kid, you keep kicking that can… kick it far
Kick it long
For a long long time
Try to be gentle with THAT can
And when you stop…
Try to find a nice place for it”
I kept walking
I keep walking
Hoping I never see any kids
Bored,
Kicking cans
Kicking…… down the road.