The national debate has suddenly gone crazy

Over the fact that we are all going to die

Without our personal instructions, specific

Where should our most sacred trust lie?

Don’t believe that the Feds have an interest

In cutting costs via the counseling of death

They are far too encumbered with Pharma

To speed the pace of your very last breath

It is squarely on you to let those that you love

To know what to do when the unthinkable occurs

I speak from the heart having been down that road

When your mind is but a series of blurs

“Do not prolong my suffering,” my father was clear

Just let me sleep when the timing is best

Without those words that he had provided

I might not have honored his request

And when the time came, the doctors were kind

Offering options they hoped I’d reject

Not for reasons of saving the system some money

But because they knew my dad would object

They knew because he wasn’t afraid

We’d had the discussion far in advance

Please stop the political rhetoric now and give

Your final wishes while you still have a chance

This death panel argument is horseshit

I’ve been on the hospice side of the fence

When you or your loved one is nearing the end

A lot doesn’t make very much sense

That’s why it’s so very important

To have the discussion before it’s too late

Or you’ll end up with tubes hanging out of your rear end

So your doctors won’t become lawyer bait

 Copyright 2009  Patrick A Granfors