This World and the Other

It was a hot summer day  
when I died
Not of heat stroke,
not of dehydration.
I guess my heart
finally just gave out
 
I was in Ohatchee when the tornado hit.
The black cloud came upon us,
everything turned dark,
everything sucked up,
blown apart,
spinning around,
the funnel slinging things out
and I was one of them.
 
They said it was a routine surgery,
I'm not sure what went wrong.
I don't know if I died on the table
or had complications in recovery,
I went to the hospital  
and never came home
 
I am old, too old.
I'm all alone.
All of my friends have died.
Most of my family have gone on before me.
I look at the clock
wondering where death could be.
What is taking him so long?
 
Everyday babies are being born,
everyday people are dying
while others go on living;
some a normal dull life with
problems that come and go,
but some will know pain and suffering  
their whole lives.
 
So many people;
wonderful, cheerful, outgoing.
sad, forlorn, depressed.
Some just normal people,
others appear normal,
but have a hidden dark side
and some are just  
all around bad people.
 
Is it death or just the unknown
that people really fear?
We are familiar with living,
we have done it our whole lives,
but death we do not know.
And what lies  
on the other side of it?
We believe the lies,
that everyone  will go to heaven,
that everyone who dies
is already there,
that God is love
and would not condemn
souls to hell.
We comfort ourselves,
refuse to believe what is written,
forsaking the judgment.
We live in denial, yet we know.
We are afraid of what might be
and yet, no one really wants to live forever,
not on this old world.