Last Breath

what were you thinking motionless, your last breath coming soon, like the ebb and flow of the tide and you, lying there the only thing keeping you here, with us, for now, your breath - do you remember when I leaned over whispered in your ear oh, so softly, to let go that it's okay what were you thinking in the bed wide eyed staring at me like you didn't know did you - that this would be it that you were dying that the words i whispered in your ear were to be the last on this earth a single tear, i saw rolled, ever so slowly, out of the corner of your left eye, down your cheek onto the pillow and it spoke volumes you were unable to i think then you realized this wasn't just another visit i think then you knew you knew - did you know though what was coming did you feel me by your bedside warming your cold hands straightening the bed sheets making sure you were comfortable did you feel me there with your eyes closed breathing, last breaths, my hand on your heart beating ever so fast until it didn't my heart broke then into shards of glass piercing my insides for with you left half of me and now i don't know who i am i hope it was painless i hope it was serene i hope you are free from the shackles of being human i wanted to grab you out of the bed and run away from that place wishing i had powers of the ancients to bring you back to change things to somehow make you well wishing anything but that horrid, black day burned into my frontal lobes forever, blinding my sight, momentarily i hope you can see me now and you are proud of who i've grown to become recalling that day tears flowing from my eyes my chest, tight, words stuck in my throat, struggling to be free, like a thousand thrushes trapped - causing my voice to crack and break under the weight of the legacy you left © Susan Marie 2025 Dedicated to my Mother, Mary Ann