Thoughts On Losing A Loved One To Cancer

Grateful


by M.J. Florczak.


I’m grateful that we had the time to say goodbye,
Though mindful of the cost to you to linger.
Fragile moments and brief hours took us by surprise;
Every hope and every fear was triggered.

And in those fleeting hours and days, the question often came
How could we be so close to you and yet not recognize
Death stalking you, calling out your name?
We surely should have seen it, if only in your eyes.

And when we knew that you would leave us
For that place of no returning,
We fought to keep our bitter grief at bay
To be brave as you through
The final leg of your last journey.

We lived in the sterile confines of the room
Where you lay dying,
Us hanging on and you learning to let go,
Death defying all our dearest hopes.

And, now, stars dance in the river,
Voices of children, rueful laughter
And singing float on the air
With our grief and your ashes.

You have found peace
in the place we call ‘forever’.



Mf.