Thursday, June 06, 2013

POEM - Short Trip, Long Journey

It was the second call in a month
To wake us early in the morning
To tell us it was too late
Or it would be soon

This was a trip I didn’t want
Driving the twenty or so miles
Knowing the end was near
Listening to the radio
Only to hear the demo version
Of “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
The simple notes lifting the lyrics
Hefting them into the air
To pierce me to my core

It was good the freeway was empty
That I didn’t have to obey the rules
I was distracted
Caught up in the song
In the thoughts from the day before

I had been up to the hospital
Had just seen dad sitting there
The surgery would be in the morning
His second open heart in five years
There was concern
But he was young and strong
At least that’s what we thought

He told me we only had a few minutes
His brother was on his way
But we should talk why we had the time
Uncle Ron never showed up
We talked for over an hour
Then it was time to go
Not that I had to be anywhere
It was just time
Someone else needed their moment
Needed that time with dad
The time they would need
For comfort in the coming days

It was his last gift to me
As I was leaving we prayed together
He offered the words
Simple and pure
A comfort for me, not for himself
Not for his need but mine
I made the trip home
All the while pleading to the heavens
Against something I already understood
That’s not enough! That’s not enough . . .
Someone else knew better
Had let me know the truth
Even if I didn’t want to hear it

It turned out he did leave
It was all just too much
The diabetes was too advanced
His heart was too weak
He went under and never came out

I held my mother later that day
As the woman who never cried
Sob uncontrollably into my shoulder
I thought back to my last trip
To be with dad
As he held my hand at his bedside
He was leading me
Like he had my whole life
Holding the hand of his child
On a treacherous path
Making me steady

So I could carry on


2 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:25 PM

    I am a friend of your sister in law and found this through a facebook post. It is a very touching and heartfelt poem that left me with chills. I know I'm a stranger, but my heart goes out to you.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for spending the time to read and thank you for your comments.

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