Do Not Fade Away

Shadows fall; pulse slows
Time slips, thin and gray
Breath counts what it owes
Minutes drain away

Edges blur; I thin
Echoes start to fray
Cold maps under skin
Clocks refuse to stay

Scars keep strict account
Each mark files a claim
Silence grows in amount
Memory feeds the flame

I test what remains
Hold against decay
Will threads through the veins
Refuses to give way

Name the hurt; be clear
Cut through drifting haze
Stand and stay right here
Count the steady phase

From ash, form intent
Grip the present day
Spend what breath is lent
Do not fade away