Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Or



Or

We’re keeping vigil.
We’re not there.
We work and eat
and talk about
baseball and lilies.
But every cell
strains toward
that distant bed.
We listen without
realizing for that
distant breath
or its absence.
Is she still
in this world
or has she
flown away
into the peace
that passes
understanding?
And when she does
fly away in a
week or a month
or a year or a day
will we find peace?
Or just an empty
inner room where
we kept vigil.


Dr. M's mom's liver is failing. As we are held in tension waiting on "that call" - which could come tomorrow or in six months - I'm reminded of the tension I felt when my own mother was dying. It's a delicate dance between living our lives and waiting on death.

13 comments:

  1. Well and sensitively put.

    Pearl

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  2. It's an excrutiating experience. Especially when someone is terribly ill, it's hard to know what to pray for.

    I'm sending so much love to you and Michael. May you sustain yourselves with compassion as you move through this period of waiting.

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  3. Having sat at my grandmothers bedside for more days that I can count I sympathies with this difficult and painful process. You don't want it to happen yet you don't want it to linger either!

    My prayers are with you!
    Blessings
    R

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  4. Sigh...such beautiful words you've given us to think about, Dana. My heart goes out to you and Dr. M during this difficult time.

    Hugs

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  5. Beautifully said Dana. Hugs to you and Dr. M

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  6. What can one say. You have put it so beautifully in your poem.

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  7. ((hugs)) to you both. this brings back memories of my father-in-laws passing.

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  8. The first 8 lines of this poem are incredible. What tension and tone! The creative writing teacher in me is nodding and itching for my red pen to write big YES'S next to that chunk!

    Take care.

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  9. Keeping vigil in your hearts... beautiful.... wishing you peace as you await the outcome.

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  10. How wonderful that you have such a marvelous gift of words. My thoughts are with all of you as you go through these difficult days.

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  11. A beautiful poem Bug, hope whenever or whatever news comes you both find the strength to get through it.

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