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The Crow and I

Posted by Silver Spun Sand on April 16, 2009 - 21:54
from the ABC set Silver Spun Sand Poems

I am no vegetable
nor am I unconscious;
merely sleeping.
I have lost
the power of speech –
limbs, albeit, paralysed,
but I have not
lost my mind.
I wish to be fed
and yet you remove
my feeding tube
even against
my expressed desire.
I, who am taking
too long to die.
Never think
for one second
I am unaware.

I am a strain
on resources –
too expensive
to keep alive.
“No one lives
for ever,” they tell her.
“Excuse me!” I yell.
“Forgive me, please, if I try.”
But no one listens ...
except my wife.
I am her silent prayers,
the futile tears she cries.
And, the sound of the crow
outside my window
that knows life
was interrupted here.
“For the best …
for the best,” it caws.
I am that lie.

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Comments

Dynamaso | April 17, 2009 - 05:19

Powerful yet so restrained. The layout so suits the subject matter. Very good work.

Silver Spun Sand | April 17, 2009 - 08:58

Thank you for reading, Dynamaso. Pleased it made an impact.

Tina

threeleafshamrock | April 17, 2009 - 14:20

This gave me shivers down my spine. Frightening and thought provoking; well they reckon that the hearing is the last thing to go don't they. Well done Tina.

Chris XX

Silver Spun Sand | April 17, 2009 - 14:50

Hi there, Chris. Yes, this is scary, isn't it?

It was in fact what happened to a friend of my daughter, whose mother was dieing of throat cancer. She had written down, quite clearly, that she wished to die naturally and did not want to be starved. Her request was denied her and so her daughter fought the situation legally and won. Her mother died a few days later, peacefully.

Tina

MistakenMagic | April 17, 2009 - 15:11

I remember you posting this before Tina, loved it then, love it even more now ;) Subtle rhymes working their magic I see!

Magic xxx

Silver Spun Sand | April 17, 2009 - 15:32

Thanks for reading, Magic. Yes, you are right, of course:-) Have done some editing based on comments so I'm pleased that you like it:-)

Tina xxx

Myndstorm | April 17, 2009 - 15:40

simple, confined, wonderful.. you are slowly becoming one of my favorites on here.

MistakenMagic | April 17, 2009 - 17:05

Poem of the week!!!! Well done Tina ;)

Magic xxx

Silver Spun Sand | April 17, 2009 - 20:40

Magic - thanks for dropping back to tell me. I wouldn't have had the foggiest! Much appreciated ... hey, and you have a good weekend now. New computer just about sorted, but technology sure is blowing my mind this week so this sure was an unexpected and welcome bonus. Has made the world of difference.

Tina xxxx

Nathan Bednarek | April 21, 2009 - 18:17

Like Magic, I also remember you posting this before and I also love it.

Well done x 2

:-D

Nathan.

Jupiter | June 5, 2009 - 11:56

Hi Tina. My first reading of this. Too often scarily true I fear. Very moving.

Silver Spun Sand | June 5, 2009 - 12:01

Hi there, Jupiter.

Thank you so much for reading this. As you say, all too often, scarily true.

Tina