Thinking about Gene Hackman - March 11, 2025

            Caretaker wife dies of rare mouse-borne disease

            he, with Alzheimer’s, stumbles around another week and dies

            dog in cage dies, time of death unknown

at least the wife didn’t die of thirst

or Gene of starvation or so I’ve heard

the dog had both in its script

Yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about

Gene Hackman and his wife

what dreadful ways to die

but when I picture the dog

left in a cage in a closet

I shut off my feelings and run

not sure there’s any place

to hide from the death

of that innocent