Your eyes taught me
About suffering
You knew
You were
At death’s door
And yet your eyes showed me
How not to fear,
But to accept
Knowingly.
Skin and bones you were
Skin and bones
Malnutrition
You starved
You were left to starve
Because your body had no more use for food.
Body rotting
Your body was rotting
And sweating that sweet smell
Filling the room with the aroma
Of death.
But
Your blood and your vomit and your shit
Were always efficiently dealt with
By the clinical women
Who were paid to nurse you
Day and night and day and night and …
You had nothing left to give
Yet while I held your hand
Or kissed your forehead
I FELT
Your appreciation
Your eyes taught me
About death:
“Don’t ignore it”
They said
“It will come to all of us, in time –
Let this be a lesson to you:
Live your life
Love life
Love yourself.
‘Cos any
Minute
Now,
Like a waterbubble –
We will
Pop.”