My mother dying
It is so hard to accept, to grasp
That she is no longer with us, with me
I was there, to see the last breath
As I stroked her head
I didn’t notice the last breath
I just noticed the absence of it
I laid my head o my mother’s chest
And there was only silence

I guarded my mother through the process
As my brother and my dad left for the night
It was too hard to see for them, perhaps
I sent them away promising to keep watch
Through the night

The nurse was wonderful
I forgot his name, John, Matt, Ryan?
He cared for my mother
While she was still, herself
Sick, but still doing crossword puzzles
He thought she waited until my Dad left for the night

She waited until I started to stroke her hair
At three in the morning
I was there
But I still have trouble to believe
That my mother has died