Pulse

ambulance drives, lights flash round
a cigarette shortens life by twenty minutes
marijuanna impairs
along with alcohol
terrible sounds of screeching tires
permeate the air
and a terrifying scream ends
too suddenly
as the chariot's journey ends
too quickly.
They only left the grad moments ago
ten minutes of a moment
their trip should have taken
another forty minutes
like a couple cigarettes
or too many drinks and joints
it's over now though. nothing said
or done now can change that. they died
happy, anyways. The end of grad, right?
Wrong.
freedom of choice killed them. not
the falling but the landing.
The impact.
if dying happy is full of screams and terror
highs and drunken error don't take it.
they didn't want to.
hearts beat 'til they're out of energy
bodies last 'til they're worn out.
impact isn't part of dying
it's part of death

the ditch is cleared
consequences of mistakes erased
but even as the policeman
knocks on the door,
tears in his eyes
an ambulance lights up again.