From her head down to her toes,

She was skin and bones…and tumors.

As the first month commenced, so did the malignancy.

As the flowers blossomed, so did the pain.

Choking on pills surrendered its threat, for

Prevention would not save her from the inevitable.

 

I started losing pieces

And then there was nothing left.

As her skin chilled and grip lost all power, so did the pain.

As the fireworks celebrated Independence Day, so did she.

Aging too quickly revealed her daughter’s passion, for

No one should face struggles unaccompanied.

 

Photos are my visual love letters

And these palliative words an outcry.

As I enter a dreaming state, so does her love.

As the verdant leaves changed, so had I.

Fighting flashbacks shattered my mental health, for

Caregiving took its toll.

 

There are no heels on the kitchen floor

And the months pass by.

As grief floats nearby, so does she.

As the first month commences again, so will I.

Her dying painted my worst nightmare, but

Like a phoenix, I know how to rise.