On death.
a single whisper pulled
from the ranks of
collectivity
—a clutter of sounds,
harmony and cacophony—
a solitary whisper
mourned and rued
and begrudgingly torn
a lonely whisper
who contributes
barely
a diacritic
to the wide chorale
an angry tired whisper
grown hoarse in the
emphatic strain for
Darwin's fitness
the many millions hold
their hot breath for
a single whisper pulled.