Undertaken

BY DR. AGONSON

The coffin maker drives the nails.
Who’ll drive the nails for thee?
The coffin maker drives his nails.
Why, who else but me?

Not you, said I, not your own box?
Have care. Is this to be?
And you, said I, will make the box
and lie there merrily?

I lie down in the bed I make,
and that I do for free;
I’ll lie down in the box I make
and charge myself no fee.

The gravedigger stood in the earth.
Who’ll dig the hole for you?
The gravedigger from out the earth:
I will dig; that’s who.

Never, said I, not your own grave?
Have care what you will do.
Never, said I. You’ll dig your grave
and bury yourself too?

I’ll dig as I have dug before,
and yet it can’t be true:
To dig as none have dug before,
to hide oneself from view?

And Death was walking by my side.
The coffin maker’s dead.
Death was walking by my side.
The gravedigger is dead.
The Reaper walking by my side,
and this to him I said:

The gravedigger the birds he fed,
for who could fill the hole?
The carpenter died in his bed,
before his box was whole.

How long, dear Death, will you abide?
and who’ll walk by your side?

Even Death may die.