Beside Sonnet ~

In her hospital whisper - 'I'm dying'
her eyes tearing - her long days breath sour 
tugging and tumbling in the quietest hour 
'there, there' -  like to a baby I'm cooing ~

how do I comfort her when I am leaving?
picture bills stacked on the kitchen counter 
the third hinge - should I remind her now or
wait to tell her the side gate needs mending?

'there, there' - my words touch her here 
in this world and me tasting the thought 
of someone else comforting her when I am gone ~

words sink in - I hear myself say - 'there, there'
stiffen at the emptiness time has bought
starring at the wall - lachrymose and mournful ~

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In 2006 I lost a very dear friend to cancer
I miss her daily 
So many days and nights I sat by her side when she was in hospice 
I wrote this poem the day before my friend Mary left me 
She was a treasured friend and is now a treasured memory ~