A Death In Our Family

Beginning of Poem...End of Poem I listen to the room, straining hard to hear Sounds of Life Was that movement on the bed? Senses Absent with one exception, overwhelming Fear Unmoving, mind bare, eyes blind, I stare Ahead Into bleak silence blinking at spinning blank images Unwritten----Unsaid Thoughts churning, searing, clamoring “Stop, Stop” I whisper as I close my hands about my head Deafening Noise pounding, unrelenting Discordant Like cries of sinners eternally repenting Pain, sharp pain beneath my left breast Piercing Assaulting my blistered heart Stinging Laboring to breathe, I murmur a remark denying the Incapacitating Grief enclosing; reality is so harsh and unkind Insisting It’sNotTrue-It’sNotTrue-It’sNotTrue The deadly refrain invades my mind Saturating Blotting out reason and thought Lacerating Nightmare unbending unending Not My trembling hand ruffles the short grey hair on my husband’s Head “Love you, Sweetheart,” I said then lay my head next to his on the bed Tenderly “I’ll wake him up, now. Yes, I will Should I?” He’s-so-peaceful, so-quiet, so Still Lovingly I caress his still-warm face knowing his life has Ceased I’m not ready to accept but reason prevails and I cannot Regret That he’s resting in peace, suffering finished, his spirit and soul Released Our extraordinary loving journey reached its end Abruptly There’s been a death in our family Regrettably Everyone thought it was my husband who Died But how could that possibly Be? No, he wasn’t the family member who died it was Me.