I serve at the pleasure of the death

I long supposed I served life:
Flourish duty

And it's true I'm alive
And it's true I must make life
And it's true I breathe with the living

But life's pleasure is death
The last breath's awareness
Outranks the first

And death is in charge
Life can't choose it
Even when it does

And so my duty is to death
I serve at its pleasure
One day it will call my name
And thus end my measure

There's no rank that overcomes
Death's unfeeling grip
All I do is walk its trail
And truth is at my hip