Perhaps unknown to you,
you are on a tightrope in this life.
At every turn, at every step, at
every breath, you could fall off it –
as all eventually do.

Death by illness, a car
accident, a physical attack,
a stray bullet, a mass
shooting, a fall down a stairs,
an accidental poisoning, a
push into a subway or an
oncoming car, or something
else.

You feel like you’ll never lose
your balance, as most others do –
as if they’re here forever.

But one day you’ll fall off the
tightrope hopefully later rather
than sooner – dying too young,
as so many do.

Bob Boyd