There are two deaths.
The first is the death the world knows—72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpphqmIlNJ
The falling asleep.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7HNoFucRs
The last breath.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8tJKtHS47
The final wound, or surrender, or silence.
It comes in many shapes.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuXAPgWCA1
The guests speak of it often.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOvkjvyyQw
Sometimes with fear.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKV2Dr1dRM
Sometimes with relief.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP101UWS6UH
Sometimes without knowing it has already passed.
That death comes for all.
But there is a second.
The deeper one.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPqqibW2Lv
The crueler one.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRVjtXFTwS
The one that takes longer, and hurts quieter.
It is the death that comes when there is no one left to say your name.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXopbMluQhf
No one who remembers your voice, your hands, your laugh, your grief.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8LfSIrZBA
No one who remembers that you ever were.
And that—
That is why I am here.
They think I serve drinks.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSVwIUqhpI
And I do.
They think I listen to stories.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKNeyLKmAs
And I do.
But the truth, the purpose, the vow never spoken:
I remember.
I remember the names not said aloud.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRi40yYRrV
The broken sentences.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5tDyzVhfe
The last words muttered into mugs.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgKDm6Hk52
The laughter that no one else witnessed.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvFw6ankqy
The quiet goodbyes guests were too afraid to say in the world outside.
And because I remember them—72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVkhUSWGKo
they are not gone.
They may fall.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdznRoB5llq
They may pass.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVREv48m8xg
But they are not erased.
Not while the tavern stands.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybibnR3tta
Not while the fire burns.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUErsanzO7
Not while I sit here, pen in hand, head bowed slightly, as I write their names without needing to ask.
Let kingdoms crumble.72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnj2mcfJtt
Let stars go dim.
Here, even the forgotten are held.
And as long as one ember glows,72Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsCN0WbpYR
no soul will suffer the second death.
Not on my watch.
Not in this place.
