A/N: A poem I wrote ages ago and thought I had lost. Thank god a friend still had it in her archives! From my all-time favourite book, Les Miserables. The quotes being from the book.

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Thoughts Before Death

I saw the musket aimed at him
I had nothing to stop the man from firing
I put my hand on the musket
He fired
The shot went through by hand and through my back
I saved him by sacrificing myself
I saw him saving the barricade
Risking his life to save those that might live
I heard a cry "Viva la France! Long live the future!"
Then a shot, the man died
Marius came back to this little barricade
I called to him
He shuddered and looked around
I called to him again
I told him to look down
He stopped
He saw me
He did not know who I was
I told him
He bent towards me quickly
"How did you get here? What are you doing there?"
I told him I was dying
He was worried
So worried he tried to pick me up
Doing so he touched my hand, the hand that was shot
I gave a feeble cried and he asked if he hurt me
I told him a little, he replied, "But I've touched your hand."
I showed him the bullet hole
I told him what had happened
He didn't know the bullet went through my back as well
I told him and asked him to sit down beside me
He did and I put my head upon his knees
It was comfortable, there was less pain
I looked at him, told him that it had bothered me when he went into the garden
I said since it was me who showed up at your house
Then I stopped and added with a smile, "You thought me ugly, didn't you?"
I continued talking
He gazed at me with profound compassion
Then I started to choke
I heard my brother sing
I asked Marius not to let my brother see me
He started to leave, but I called him back
I told him about the letter
I took his hand and put it into the pocket with the letter
I told him to take it and he did
I had him promise me
I had him promise to kiss me when I died hoping I would feel it
I told him that I thought I once loved him
I tried to smile

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So for those who only know the musical, this won't be how you recognize Eponine as dying, but those who read the book may recognize it.