Thursday, February 25, 2021

Our Last Hike

 


we hiked ran biked

skied 

paddled

hundreds of miles

years and years

together

strangely

our last walk

was only

8 yards

24 feet or

288 inches

couch to

our bed

that afternoon

on christmas eve

you said you

were tired

“please help me to bed”

you had become so 

tired

fought so valiantly

mid-day

sleeping through the

night

we no longer traversed

forests

seashores or

mountain trails

once

after hours of 

altitude hiking

we rested 

laying down in a bed

of sweet mountain flowers

I quipped “this would

be a good place to

die”

you

somewhat exasperated

said

“this might be a good place

for you to die

but how am it

going to find my way

back?”

afterwards we laughed 

about it

and now years later

i wonder

how am i going to

find my way back?

you invited me to 

take this last walk

once more 

together

slowly walking

familiar 

comfortable arms in arms

our bed

8 yards

24 feet or

288 inches away

there she laid 

her sweet head 

a body

wearied by years

of chemical intrusion

surgeries

broken bones

tumors

9-1-1 emergencies

5/7 days in

dialysis

now she lay down

took her last

breath

disconnecting 

body and soul

holding her amongst

sobs and cries

not knowing what

lies ahead

i let her go

somehow

knowing she will once again

ask me to walk

with her

can our souls

linger

remain behind

unwilling to depart?

against all rationality

allI science 

i sensed this

she has not left

hangs around

making sure

i’m

okay

which thanks to her 

i will be

one day.


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