Death Rattles
written by: Maggie Watson
When death rattles, it does so,
not with a silent refrain.
As I watch your life force slowly ebb,
In the distance, death rattles.
Your breathing becomes shallower.
I have witnessed this so many times.
I know the signs.
My eyes are heavy from lack of sleep.
When the call comes, some may think death does not linger.
Strangely, death often has no rush.
And so, I sat with you all night, and as morning broke,
I heard the rattle that signalled the end was imminent while
the gates of heaven swung open.
I held your hand as death stole your final breath.
Outside the window, a robin singing sweetly
broke the hush that death leaves behind.
And I smiled, knowing you had reached home safe.
AUGUST 2025 AUTHOR OF THE MONTH at Spillwords.com
Maggie was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She now lives in Scotland. She has CFS which is a very debilitating/unpredictable illness. She began writing in 2020 at the start of the Pandemic. At that point, she had no idea it would play such a huge part in her life as it does now! In 2021 she self-published her first collection of poetry and has since self-published three others. Her writing is now much more diverse than when she began. Maggie draws a lot on her life experiences when writing, so her poems can be raw. But she feels that makes her work more relatable to the reader. Maggie is also a volunteer at Barnardo's in UK. She enjoys walks in nature and solo travel.
Latest posts by Maggie Watson (see all)
- Death Rattles - March 3, 2026
- Breaking Bread - November 19, 2025
- Interview Q&A With Maggie Watson - September 18, 2025
