"Let Me Die a Youngman's Death" by Roger McGough

Let me die a youngman's death
not a clean and inbetween
the sheets holywater death
not a famous-last-words
peaceful out of breath death

When I'm 73
and in constant good tumour
may I be mown down at dawn
by a bright red sports car
on my way home
from an allnight party

Or when I'm 91
with silver hair
and sitting in a barber's chair
may rival gangsters
with hamfisted tommyguns burst in
and give me a short back and insides

Or when I'm 104
and banned from the Cavern
may my mistress
catching me in bed with her daughter
and fearing for her son
cut me up into little pieces
and throw away every piece but one

Let me die a youngman's death
not a free from sin tiptoe in
candle wax and waning death
not a curtains drawn by angels borne
'what a nice way to go' death

I really liked this poem because of the way it can relate to anyone, and because of the humor. The author is basically saying that he does not want to die a boring normal death. He wants to live life to the fullest and be in an adventure before he dies. He does not want a "famous last-words, peaceful out of breath-death", he wants to die in an exciting way. This poem is full of great scenarios of how the author would like to die. When he is 73, he says he wants to die on his way home from an all night party. When he is 91, he wants to die getting his hair cut while a mob of gangsters walk in and shoot him like in the movies. My favorite one, is how he wants to die when he is 104. He says he wants to get caught by his mistress in bed with her daughter. I loved this poem because I completely agree with it. I don't want a "what a nice way to go death" either. Like Roger McGough, I'd like to die a youngman's death.