Breath

 

 

Breath is all we have

The last we do not know,

Very often we take it for granted

Until a difficulty shows.

 

It’s a reflex behaviour

Unless the chest tightens,

That is when we know for sure

There is a problem.

 

Only there and then

As we struggle to breathe

We long for the automaticity

And the usual ease.

 

Such is the asthmatic

When an episode comes

Or an extremely exhausted runner

After a marathon.

 

 

When underwater

Without an aqualung

A diver dares not take a breath

And can’t stay too long.

 

He’d be very stupid

Or perhaps lost his mind,

Or at worst he’s suicidally bent

And decides it is time.

 

Time to leave this life

Can’t take it anymore,

Just one more breath, a final gasp-

Exit: death’s door.

 

Just about 14 breaths

I am taking every minute,

It used to be more I can assure you

But this no longer fits.

 

The rate slows with age

I’ve been reliably informed:

Very unlike the 30 to 60 breaths

For a newly born.

 

 

Breath is like a clock

The kind we used to wind,

When that spring unwinds in full

It’s the end of our time.

 

The limit is in breaths:

552 million in 70 years,

This could be more or even less

Depending on fret or care.

 

When God created Adam

He formed him from mold,

Then He breathed his breath in him

Making him a living soul.

 

7.8 trillion breaths later

Adam breathed his last,

An allotted number is given everyone:

Even Methuselah passed.

 

The record no. of breaths

Breathed by a single man,

Goes to the ancient Methuselah-

Oh, what a lifespan!

 

 

But it came to an end

With his very last breath,

The first was at the time of birth

The last was his death.

 

Our breaths may be many

Or relatively few

But a single breath will indicate

When we are through.

 

A breath is but a moment

That’s often disregarded

But I assure you the Bible shows,

Each one is recorded.

 

No need to count breaths

But you ought to be aware

A single breath will be your last

Whenever it appears

 

God is taking note

Of the breaths we breathed

And one day we’ll breathe the last

And to Him proceed.

 

 

Breath belongs to God,

He gives and takes it back,

While you may have another view

It won’t change the fact.

 

One’s allotted breaths

Are equal to his time,

Do let this Mathematical equation

Linger on your mind.

 

Stewart Russell © August 26, 2025

 

Experiencing Death

 

 

Quite misleading

Is this chosen title

But for the purpose of this poem,

It is pertinently vital.

 

All that experience birth

Will experience death,

I heard this iterated recently

But couldn’t let it rest.

 

Give it some thought

And see if it rings true,

It may be so for case number 1

But not case number 2.

 

At someone’s funeral

I’m sure you’d have heard

“All of us will experience death”

During the preached word.

 

And you’d have nodded

In the affirmative

Since such is surely confirmed

By all who lived.

 

I don’t want to contend

The veracity of this

But to draw to your attention

Something you missed.

 

Check experiencing

And see what it means,

Check it in a dictionary and tell me

What you glean.

 

To experience something

Is to be alive and alert

And since in death we are neither

Experience cannot work.

 

 

Experiencing dying

I can certainly understand

But death is void of feelings

On the other hand.

 

I have watched a few

In their last moments here:

One of them was unconscious

But two were aware.

 

These two were conscious

They were about to depart

And the way both of them went,

Touched my heart.

 

They experienced dying

But certainly not death,

Death is said to have occurred

After one’s last breath.

 

Thus, impossible I say,

To experiencing death

And you certainly will not either

When you are at rest.

 

Stewart Russell © March 17, 2025