“weighed hardly more than a child by then
carried him along this sidewalk
wailin’ as if widowed already
some man saw us, understood, I think
made me stop and lay him down
here in the grass beside the curb, perhaps
called a taxi for me, hell, paid for it
I couldn’t’ve. been years since I had
that sort of money, even rode with us
to the nearest hospital, didn’t matter
it was too late, it was always too late
I think he died in my arms on the way
they brought him back but only long enough
to flutter his eyes, find mine, and smile
that’s how I remember him, that last smile
doctors and nurses clustered around him
doing’ whatever it is they do, and him
so frail they prob’ly hurt more than saved him
lookin’ for me and smilin’ to see me there
then gone with all of them fussin’ still”
she shook her head and looked into the night
“waitin’ for the bus? you ask me, no
waitin’, yes, for my time, for my dyin’
without all the fuss I made over his”
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