Death arrived at dawn

heralding the new day,

          the new life

Grim specter returns each day

the first thought upon waking

dawn, so different now.

With each fresh daybreak

the blessed relief of sleep

          is interrupted

Those hours of mindless rest

become long hours of

awareness, the torment of day.

Day’s seemingly simple goal,

get through it, survive till the night

Don’t look ahead

else you weaken the resolve

          to go on.

Breathe through each hour,

maybe less, more manageable bits

when the hour is too lofty a goal.

The day once seemed too short

never enough to complete

the scratched full day planner.

Tasks are still listed, but beneath,

          throughout,

Invisible ink reads –

          Breathe.

          Be.

Once, unnecessary reminders.

I will breathe. I will be.

The constant thought –

0ptions are limited now.

There are others for whom

          I will breathe.

Others for whom I’ll survive.

Failure, though ending this pain,

would bring new depth to their loss.

Breathe.

Be.