APAD: To die with one's boots on.

Meaning: originally to die violently but often used today to describe a person

who dies while still active.

 

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Trying to jump on the bandwagon of poetry, I, an eternal imposter, on the

proverb arranged my thoughts below.

 

    We Chinese avoid the topic like a plague

    and would shun death itself if only we could.

    In the west, the subject seems much less taboo.

    I used to laugh at the ancient Greek notion

    that the best way to go is to die in battle.

    Many moons passed since I heard it

    and nowadays on the idea I am almost sold.

    As we live in a much less martial world,

    to check out with one's boots on sounds not bad at all.

 

Forget it. I'm no poet after all :-)