Can I still stay for a moment?

Dying is only one thing to be sad over... Living unhappily is something else. Morrie Schwartz

Shy, I come closer,

Feeling guilty

I invade your world

Or what is left of it.

 

A bed,

A chair,

A wardrobe.

 

The sheets pale as your face,

Your hands wrinkled,

Diaphanous as a parchment,

Your veins draw a map

 

The roads you have travelled,

Full of potholes and falling,

Hoping against hope,

 

Rising

            Up

                        Again

                       

                                   Now,

                        Not

Anymore

 

There is a haze laying upon your eyes,

An image of the other side,

A sea full of waving corn,

Light as yellow

And ripe as the sun that is sowed,

As milk, fresh from the cow’s udder.

 

A day to harvest.

 

I know, without you saying it,

I can read it

In the tears on your cheek,

I can hear it

In the breath on your trembling lips.

 

It’s high time to go,

But I don’t want to leave,

Not yet.

 

Can I still stay for a moment?

You want to ask me.

All I can do, is swallow my sorrow.

 

© Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere

05/07/2015

Author's Note

Reviews

[maricoona91]

This is really powerful and makes me think about what it is to be close to death.

Do you have any of your Dutch poems here? I took a few years of Dutch in my university because I'm a big fan of Nederland. It would be fun to see if I could decipher some Dutch poetry!

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

I have a blog and there the poems are as well in Dutch as in English.
http://lejaeghererudi.blogspot.be/

Thank you for reading and the interest in my writings. :) Rudi

[mattavelli]

It's beautiful, Rudi. Going in my favorites. :)

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, Matt, I'm honored and very glad you liked it. :) Rudi

[Cassie]

This is such a sad poem my God!!! The ending of it brought me tears, watching someone you love gasping the last breath and looking at you as if asking you to let them stay is such a sad state to be in. You have described this so well Rudi

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you so much, for visiting my writings and reviewing, Cassie. I'm glad with your words. :) Rudi

[Rinzin Samdup]

what is so beautiful about writting is, you write through experince with the feelings all put on it. facing the truth of life is hard but being strong is all we gotta be. :)

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you so much, Rinzin, for reading and reviewing. :) Rudi

[Jamestown]

Closing in on the end must be hard for the person involved
but also extremely hard for those that love that person, I can
speak from experience and it is not easy, well written and expressed!
Thanks for sharing and b-blessed!

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, James, for passing by and reading my poem. :) Rudi

[Valentine]

Having lost my parents and now my husband, I can relate to this. It is so hard to let go. Valentine

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, Valentine, for reading and reviewing, sorry for your loss. :) Rudi

[MOON]

Poignant write describing the closeness of death. Heartbreaking yet you imbue it with such grace.

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you so much, Moon. Glad you liked it. :) Rudi

[Chris]

This held BOTH sides of that moment... and yeah, I understood, Rudi.

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, Chris, for passing by and reading. :) Rudi

[Lenah Mehzabin]

I don't know why it made teary.. but I loved it !!

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, ReD, for reading and reviewing, happy you liked it. :) Rudi

[wordman]

it seems we have a need to help,but some never find the time

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, Wordman, for reading and reviewing. :) Rudi

[wordman]

my pleasure rudi