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Poem: “In What Way do you Know of Death?”

by on Nov 10, 2011 in Poetry
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In What Way do you Know of Death?

He said: There is no afterlife, no God
I asked him for his date of birth
His time of death

He knew when he was born
On the basis of authority
For he did not have full sentience then

But as for when he dies
He says:
No one can say when it will be

Then in puzzlement:
If no one knows the one
How can you know the other?

You trust experience alone
And have not died or fully lived –
In what way do you know of death, or God?

Pavel
April 27, 2011


Pavel Chichikov is a Washington DC-based poet and photographer. He has written for both the secular and the Catholic press on issues as diverse as Russian nuclear weapons systems, Olympic athletes, and miracles. His books include From Here to Babylon: Poems by Pavel Chichikov,  Lion Sun: Poems by Pavel Chichikov, Mysteries and Stations in the Manner of Ignatius, and Animal Kingdom. Pavel may be heard reading his works on catholicradiointernational.com and on pavelreads.com. His poetry regularly appears on "The Poetry of Pavel Chichikov."