Don’t Die Before You’re Dead ©Dawn Minott

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry

Don’t die before you’re dead.
Don’t let the grind of days steal the breath from your spirit
Or the weight of worry cement your feet in place
When death finds you
Let it find you alive
Let it find you with fire in your eyes
With laughter tangled in your lungs
And songs swelling in notes to the skies

Live.
Live with joy like it’s a rebellion
A refusal to let the darkness win
Smile wide enough to crack the walls of your fears
Let your curiosity roam untamed
Chasing the edges of the horizon
Like a child who believes the ocean is endless

Be audacious.
Speak louder than the silence that tries to hold you
Dare to dream when the world says, “Be small”
Dance, even when the music is only in your head
Run toward the things that scare you
Because courage is not the absence of fear—
It’s choosing to live fully in spite of it

Speak out.
Don’t bear the agony of an untold story, not told
Your voice dying within you, unheard
Don’t sit still, pregnant with potential
Never to give birth to your purpose
Speak the truth etched on your soul
Let your words carve pathways for others
Let your gifts see the light of day
A buried dream is a tragedy the world can never mourn

When the clock ticks
Don’t just count the hours—
Make them count
When the seasons shift—
Don’t mourn the leaves that fall,
Celebrate the seeds you’ve sown

So when death comes knocking
Let it find you alive
Not half-lived or worn down by regret
But shining with the audacity of a life fully embraced
And the joy of knowing you left no moment unlived
Don’t die before you’re dead

Afterword: The inspiration for this poem stems from: the proverb, “When death finds you, may it find you alive,” and Maya Angelou’s powerful words, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” These are part of my life motto and together they form the foundation of my “Why I Write” declaration, driving me to live fully and to ensure my voice is heard. 

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In creative solidarity, Dee

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