The Monkey Dance Of Death Poem by Nika McGuin

I don't hate him
I just hate the way he acts,
The fact that he never listens
It's that hard headed nature of his
That seems to be getting worse and worse
With each passing year


Last night I had a dream
And it summed up everything
That has been happening with him


He'd fallen off of a cliff
I looked over the edge
And there he was
Hanging on to a solitary branch
With one arm, his phone in the other
He didn't seem to care
That he was quite possibly about to die
So transfixed on his phone, his distraction
To make matters worse
He began dancing like a monkey
Shaking the last branch that was holding him up


Shocked, I rushed over to help him up
I'd never seen someone care so little
About the direction of their own lives
I said to him, 'brother, give me your hand'
Eyes on his phone, he only shook his head no
And continued dancing


I reached for him
But he was too far away
I called his name, pleaded with him
Tried to explain to him how dangerous it was
I told him that his life was hanging in the balance
But all in vain, he ignored me
And continued dancing


I warned him, that a storm was coming
The branch he held onto would soon break
And I wouldn't be around to catch him when it did
I'd done what I could, though he ignored it all
I had to leave, I couldn't bear to watch him die
Because you see, I don't hate him
Not at all