Death

"I am an atheist, myself. A simple faith, but a great comfort to me, in these last days."
-- Emperor Ezar, on his deathbed, in "Shards of Honor" by Lois McMaster Bujold.

" 'He deserves death'.
'Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them ? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.' "
-- J. R. R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings

When you have shot and killed a man you have in some measure clarified your attitude toward him. You have given a definite answer to a definite problem. For better or worse you have acted decisively.
In a way, the next move is up to him.
-- Raphael Aloysius Lafferty

Another day, another death. Another sorrow, another breath.
-- From "No Remorse" by Metallica

"Well, ladies, I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that your dates are here."
"What's the bad news?"
"They're dead."
-- From the classic NIGHT OF THE CREEPS

A is for Amy who fell down the stairs, B is for Basil assaulted by bears.
C is for Clair who wasted away, D is for Desmond thrown out of the sleigh.
E is for Ernest who choked on a peach, F is for Fanny, sucked dry by a leech.
G is for George, smothered under a rug, H is for Hector, done in by a thug.
I is for Ida who drowned in the lake, J is for James who took lye, by mistake.
K is for Kate who was struck with an axe, L is for Leo who swallowed some tacks.
M is for Maud who was swept out to sea, N is for Nevil who died of enui.
O is for Olive, run through with an awl, P is for Prue, trampled flat in a brawl
Q is for Quinton who sank in a mire, R is for Rhoda, consumed by a fire.
S is for Susan who perished of fits, T is for Titas who flew into bits.
U is for Una who slipped down a drain, V is for Victor, squashed under a train.
W is for Winie, embedded in ice, X is for Xerxes, devoured by mice.
Y is for Yoric whose head was bashed in, Z is for Zilla who drank too much gin.
-- Edward Gorey "The Gashlycrumb Tinies"

A friend of mine stopped smoking, drinking, overeating, and chasing women --all at the same time. It was a lovely funeral.


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Last Modified: May 5th, 1998
Patri Friedman / patri@izzy.com