I ran from my death

I ran from my death—

I built walls

between me & my death—

I went thru doors,

bolted them behind me,

I wanted to put distance

between me & my death—

I barred one door

after another—

I went down corridors

turning—dashing

into one room

& then another—

And when I had

locked the final door

behind me,

And when I had

entered the last room,

And when I stopped

running,

There was my death

waiting for me all

the while sitting on

an easy chair—

It looked at me

and said,

“Just testing.

Just testing.”

Alex Caldiero was a beloved poet, sage and “sonosopher” who blended sounds, words and ideas to create a unique form of literature, often performed. Born in Sicily, Italy, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he died in Utah in February 2026. This poem first appeared in “Various Atmospheres,” published by Signature Books in 1998.

This story appears in the May 2026 issue of Deseret Magazine_._ Learn more about how to subscribe_._