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An Apple A Day, Keeps Death Away by Stewart Stafford
Death came knocking at my door,
He said he’d come to claim my soul,
I said I wasn’t ready yet,
And asked him for an hour or so.
"Death waits for no man!" it roared,
Adding that my time was up,
The Reaper said we were leaving,
And that I was such a cheeky pup.
I asked if he'd like an apple for the trip,
And gestured to my magic tree,
"Aye," he said, reaching up,
His hand stuck to it, to my glee.
"What trick is this?" Death howled,
"Free me, I demand, this instant!"
"Lift my death sentence first," I said,
"Never! Taking life is a constant!"
"Use your other hand to free yourself."
He tried until both hands became stuck,
"Let me live, and you may go," I said,
"Agreed!" Death vanished. What good luck!
An apple a day keeps Death away,
But in the long run, you'll have to pay,
Unless you have a magic tree -
A new lease on life, briefly.
© Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved.
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