I cannot recollect when I first became interested (some might say obsessed) with mortality. I do, however, remember relishing poems such as Francis Beaumont’s “On the Tombs in Westminster Abbey”, which I first came across whilst browsing through a poetry anthology in the school library On the Tombs in Westminster Abbey, by Francis Beaumont.

My home in London’s Upper Norwood is opposite to All Saints church and it’s graveyard. Hardly a day passes during which I fail to pass through that graveyard, which has inspired many of my poems.

However, in the last week of January 2025, I suffered a seizure whilst at home. At the time I assumed that I had suffered some kind of panic attack and went on with my life. Then, on Sunday 2 February, I suffered another seizure whilst walking my guide dog Apollo with a friend and her dog in a local park. I was taken by ambulance to Croydon University Hospital where another seizure occurred, which led to me being kept in overnight, and discharged on the following morning with a diagnosis of Epilepsy.

To cut a long story short, I decided to spend a short period with my mum and other family in Liverpool. Soon after having arrived, I became extremely confused and lost most of the movement in the right side of my body. I was taken to Walton Neuro Centre where a brain abscess was drained. Following this procedure, I spent some 6 weeks in hospital during which time most of the poems in my collection, “Passing through: some thoughts on life and death” were composed.

There is nothing like being faced with the Grim Reaper to stimulate the composition of verse!

Below are 2 poems from the collection. The first, “Seagulls Cry”, was written shortly after my admission to hospital and represents the poet at his lowest point. Whilst the second, “Whole Again”, is, I believe a more positive poem.

.

Seagulls Cry:

.

Seagulls fly and I

Cannot stay.

I must be on my way.

I have but a short time to rhyme

And I cannot stay.

.

Seagulls cry and I

Am unable to stay.

I must be on my way.

I will die

And am unable to stay.

I have but a brief time for rhyme

And I may not stay.

.

Whole Again:
.

The rain calls to me

To leave my technology.

It says, “You must go

To your hospital window.”

So I obey its command

And go and stand

Where the scent and sound

Of rain is profound

And I am whole again.

—

I was discharged from hospital on 4 April, and returned to London on 22 April. Whilst I am feeling almost back to normal (with the exception of a few minor headaches and occasional bouts of tiredness), I remain conscious of the Reaper’s presence, in the shadows, biding his time …

(“Passing Through: some thoughts on life and death”, is available in Kindle and paperback from from Amazon:

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