Dead man walking



Dead Man Walking
I saw a dead man walking
Fascinating
How he moved along the side of the path
with no destination in sight.  
He just walked never looking left or right
Just moving
He did not see the sun. At least I don't think he did.
He was so focused on his journey's end
So driven to call it a day
So he walked on as one with a date with destiny.
I swear he was a dead men walking
Yet he had no clue
No clue that the sun on his face would no longer burn his skin
No vision that told him there would be no sunset for him today
Or ever again
Yet he walked on
He took no time to admire the beautiful spring day
Or the cool breeze that came up from the valley
Carrying with it the sweet scent of the early flowers
Or the gentle drizzle that sought to distract him
His destination was the dark alley ahead which lead down to the stream.
I would meet him there
I will relieve him of this existence that holds no interest for him
I take the ones who are dead yet they walk.
I take the ones who breathe but do not smell.
I take the shells
I am death

About this poem

This poem highlights the hopelessness some people face in this life. They just want it to end so much that they are already dead without knowing it.

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Written on March 20, 2019

Submitted by Kenmills1962 on March 08, 2023

Modified on March 15, 2023

1:07 min read
11

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAABCCADEFGAHIFJKFGLMNOMPQRS
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,047
Words 223
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 28

Discuss the poem Dead man walking with the community...

1 Comment
  • luisestable1
    I take this to mean: " Dead man walking" in the sense that he shows no awareness or interest of his surroundings or so to speak as if he were dead to reaction.
    One can walk dead in the sense that nothing catches our attention. We are dead to the world. One cannot take, "dead man walking literary for in truth the dead do not walk accept in fantasies as in tales or at the movies. Dead mean striped of life in the true sense of the word, but this is not what is going on in this poem if one gives it a proper reading, I believe. 
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"Dead man walking" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/153740/dead-man-walking>.

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