ONLY DYING

The message comes in morning mail
The envelope is thin and pale
A single page is all it holds
But even so your blood runs cold

There’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
Don’t bother tryin’
And there’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
There’s only dyin’

A doctor’s name and then a date
The tests that will decide your fate
The thing you hoped would go away
Has just grown strong while you delayed
God’s non-existence, though displayed
You think it might be time you prayed

Dear father who art in heaven
And mother who art there too
You died too young, and left me shaken
I count the hours, till I’m with you

It’s not a way to live your days
One foot inside an early grave
But grief has scarred and left its mark
So happy days dim into dark

There’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
Don’t bother tryin’
And there’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
There’s only dyin’

Got too good at writing eulogies
Thinking about terminal disease
They tell me it will all be fine
Routine procedure, happens all the time
But they said the same to dad and mom
And moments later both were gone


There’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
Don’t bother tryin’
And there’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
There’s only dyin’

I barely sleep, as dreams are plagued
A hundred diagnoses made
And when I wake I sit and shake
And pray the nurse my blood to take
Another night staring at the clock
Another night wondering what I’ve got

Dear institution founded by Nye Bevan
Hallowed be thy name
Thy will is being undone by conservative scum
And I fear we’re all gonna die in great pain

Am I terrified of finding out
Or am I terrified of losing doubt
The day draws near and time will tell
If I’m ill or if I’m well

And there’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
Don’t bother tryin’
And there’s no runnin’
There’s no hidin’
There’s no delayin’
There’s only dyin’


The message came in morning mail
The envelope was thin and pale
I clasped it like the holy grail
Results inside, end of the trail
I felt my body getting frail
My fingers twitched my breath was stale
Will I pass or will I fail?
The message came in morning mail