A battle with death!  What a battle it will be! I had no plans to take her on, We had not agreed to meet at that curve, Yet there she stood, blocking my path Looming larger than life. How long does death last? A moment, perhaps two -- Life is a sequence, beyond today and tomorrow. I have lived to the full, I will die as I choose, I will return, I have no fear of letting go. So, do not come by stealth, and take me by surprise, Come, test me, meet me head on. Unheeding of death, life's journey unfolds. Evenings sketched with kohl, nights smooth as the flute's notes. I do not say there was no pain, There were sorrows, of my own and of this world.