TIME PASSAGES

My dear father passed away on March 8, 2009. Here is a poem I've written in the past 20 minutes relating to that aspect of my life.


For so long

the words didn’t come

nestled as they were

beneath my breastbone

close to my heart.



Refusing to make an appearance --

in fear

of saying too much

of revealing the gaping wounds

as tangled up as they were

with a death.



With my father’s death.

A year ago.

A mere threehundredandsixtyfive days ago.



In a hospital bed.

With a breathing mask

to allow the chest to rise and fall

rise

and fall

throughout that night

…and into the morning.



We changed the clocks.

Spring ahead / Fall back.



I watched the big hand and little hand

circle ‘round the numbers

again and again

continuously

throughout that night

and into the morning.



5:55.

The last breath was taken.

It was gentle, it was peaceful.

It was over.



A life was over.



Death had begun.