When My Death Comes Poem by Shalom Freedman

WHEN MY DEATH COMES

When my death comes
Where will I be?
How will I be?

Will I know it is about to happen?
Will I say goodbye to everyone close to me?

Will I have some clever memorable last words
To leave the world with?

Or will I end with the traditional Jewish confession of faith
Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokenu Hashem Achad?

Will I be in pain
Terrible pain?
Will I be drugged and drowsy
Half aware of what is going on?

Will I be longing for it to happen?

Will I have a smile on my face and a tear in my eye?

Will I be able to be hugged by weeping loved ones?

Will I be flat on my back
Or will I sit up before the last collapse?

What will be?

How will it be?

It's going to be
But I don't know when and how-