Jewell

she died on the 22 of november
and when they called to tell me
i told the voice on the phone
"she's not at home"
and vacated my body for the next 10 years
i wonder now if she heard the train's whistle as death rumbled near
did she savor the last orange knowing there would be no more?

mostly death comes in a narcotic haze
drug induced euphoria to dull the pain
it's all we can do
make the dying comfortable
but what of the living?
no needle to ease the ache of being left behind