Shalom Freedman (Troy New York)

THE ENDGAME

The endgame is almost always bad-
Often there are terrible surprises
Often one cannot play it by oneself
It causes pain and heartbreak to others
It often goes on too long
The end of it may be in one way a relief
But it is also desolation-

The end game is often horrible
And most of us will have to play it
Without ever wanting to-

Wishing it over is not enough
And the Jewish religion forbids suicide-

So I don't know how it will work out in my case
I only apologize in advance
To those close who must witness mine-
I would have liked to spare you this
But it just is not something given to us -