I Felt It Coming Before It Arrived

Two and half years ago my friend was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was at stage 4; the prognosis was not for a long sickness. We surrendered ourselves to this final ending. Days became months and months turned into years We thought he was going to beat this evil. He accepted chemotherapy with such determination and patience But his resolve went on unhindered. He submitted himself to radiotherapy with humour as they had Tattooed his chest with markers, and to him it was funny. For thirty months we felt the end coming, His breathing became obviously painful He couldn’t swallow and probably suffered panic attacks when his Throat closed and his food came back to haunt him. I started feeling his end coming before it arrived. I prayed that it would be peaceful and painless And I held my breath when it looked imminent. I tried to prepare myself Through tears and sorrow I watched his shallow breathing with terror And when the end came I was not ready. Nothing in this world nor in my mind could have prepared me For the moment when I had to say Goodbye to my brother, my mate, my best friend.