| She switched off the strip light And turned on the lamp Her split shoe crushed at the heel Spewing ragged leather But polished. She searched for your song On cassette by your bed She failed and exasperated Turned back to you Her limp mask slipping Blue black cheeks ashy Hands denim creased And dry from washing. She patted you Smoothing you And in a loosely knitted language Of knots and coarse loops She sang you out softly All the while watching and counting Your cracked breaths Holding back bedfolds For me with my needle She nodded Assenting Still singing And in that universal language Older than race She took leave of you For your shut-out family And for her own Another number In a graph on TV And when your struggle ended She straightened her plastic apron And noticed again the buzzers outside. She stood and opened the window Releasing your soul. Godspeed she said Amen she said And maybe the birds Waking up and starting to sing In that pale space between night and day Witnessed your free spirit Fly home |
| Bio & Link |
| I am an advanced nurse practitioner in Bristol |