words

            no man should know

            or say

words

            no child should hear:

            parent, pray

            to be spared.

as he sat with his sons at home

and struggled to find

words:

he knew

            she will never return to us

he knew

            she is too ill

 

In a time when she was strong

for them

as her body weakened:

he knew.

 

As she shrank before his eyes

skin loose on bones

flesh fading

voice whispering

            eyes sunken

            mouth dry:

no sustenance

but ice chips:

he knew.

 

The day she needed,

pleaded

            Help me to die.

a moment of weakness:

he knew.

 

Alert with no strength

knowing with no words

loving with no expression

lying with no movement:

he knew.

 

And so he spoke the words

and died

inside:

            Your mother...

            She will never return to us

            She is too ill