Ars Moriendi 
(The Art of Dying)

Thomas Dominic Rover, O.P.

My little finger is dying
just the tip of the little finger
of my left hand
I carry my secret carefully
let it hang like a single gold coin 
in a cluster of other fingers 
still trying to stay alive 
But the word is out
and they will have to be ready too 
when their time comes.

link to rest of poem