Who, What, When, Where, Why & How

This poem popped into my head this afternoon as I was contemplating the strangeness of knowing or not knowing how long I might have to live. That's how poetry happens for me. Like clairvoyance and claircognizance, I can't command it. Poetry has its own will. The best ideas take their own sweet time landing in my consciousness then nudge me, sometimes subtly, sometimes determinedly, to create their message in what they intend as an impactful, thought-provoking way.

By the way, the structure of who, what, when, where, why and how is one of the basic journalism constructs I learned more than 50 years ago when I first started writing professionally. I thought I'd give it a little credit with this investigation of preparing for my end of days this go 'round.