Lord of the Shadowlands

I do not fear him.
I have felt the hand
of the Lord of the Shadowlands,
cool against my fevered brow,
and I longed to go with him.
life was pain running through my blood,
a constant ache that
slowed my breath
and dried my tongue,
and I was ready to lay it down,
to have peace.

I wanted to walk
with him into the shadow
where all must pass, someday.

I wanted to embrace him
and dance to the new music
that I could hear as my heart
paused its thunder in my ears.

I wanted to stand with him
on the banks of the river of souls,
and watch the ferryman
pole near, and scan
the shore for my own
dear departed—
to see them as they should have been,
to see them waiting me.

but he kissed me,
and whispered in my ear,
your time has not come,
and I felt life return,
the hospital blanket weighing down
my shivering body,
and I ached as the music faded
into some future time.

Prompt for: Jan 22, 2016 ▼

Subject or Theme: Any aspect of death (death, not mourning). (funerals, people or pets who have died, plants you've killed, murder, death rituals, metaphorical death, etc.
Word(s) to Include: blanket, river (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): agony, death, die, kill, love, murder, tear (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)
Additional Parameters: At least 24 lines.
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.