She was addicted to reading
obituaries in dailies, in galleries, 
it made her light and young
sweet and strong;
She spent her pension on dailies
and waited and yearned
for green deaths.

When death emerged like a night thief
unannounced with dagger-thrusting alertness,
she was blank and overdrawn
and this ghostly guest wouldn’t be tempted
or reschedule the visit regardless.