Death comes. Soon...er

Death comes.
Soon
er.

It wasn't
what we expected.
It wasn't afternoons
on a porch
with old friends.

It wasn't grey hair
and rocking chairs
and saying things
you never would
when you were a lady.

It wasn't slow
or gradual.
It wasn't a natural slowing down
an easing into
a watching
our bodies
age.

It was cancer.
It was metastasized.
It was in a place
no one had even thought of.
And by the time it announced itself
it had taken over.

It was manageable,
it could be controlled,
but it was permeating
all the same.

And so it is here
at our door
unexpected guest
moving in
And we have no choice.

We knew that someday
our house would be visited,
we really did.
We were ready for it to come
as a meadow
as a last breath
as a sleep
a peace
an end.
But this was a stop
a sudden
a not ready yet.

And so we desperately push the door closed
Willing it back out again
And it stands
firm.
I am here.

We step back
from the door
From our pushing
and willing
and fear

step
back

tentatively
we
see

a view

different

acceptance?

acknowledgment

that it is here
that it was always here
that it was always going to come

it just came soon
er.