(Originally published in America at the Millenium: The Best Poems and Poets of the 20th Century, edited by Howard Ely, The International Library of Poetry, 2000, pp. 191.)

I approached her as she lay there,

So fragile and so frail.

Her eyes appeared so dreamy,

And her clothes, they smelled so stale.

Her lips, they parted slowly,

As she spoke sincere and wise.

She talked about the good ‘ol days,

And gave me much advice.

She held her heart in front of her.

Her emotions were so clear.

She was ready for a better place,

And in death she did not fear.

As she reminisced into the past,

Her energy withdrew.

It hurt me much to see her so.

I wanted to die too.

I watched as she took one last look,

At the world she’d leave behind.

And even though I lost her,

I knew Heaven she would find.