A porch
A fading truck
A fading mother
Her fading life
Disappearing behind a cloud of dust
On an old tired dirt road
“Stay here.
I’m taking your mom to the hospital.
Stay right here.”
Two six-year-olds wait alone.
Dressed.
Bags packed.
Not knowing
that was the last moment
their mom would be home
Waiting for a grandfather,
and the unknown.
The hum of distant cars
The hum of distant thoughts
Is this when she dies?
The hum of distant cars
The hum of distant thoughts
The hum of changing lives
What is death?
The hum of distant cars
The hum of distant thoughts
The hum of empty tomorrows
How long is someone dead?
The hum of distant cars
The hum of distant thoughts
The hum of weakening hearts—
Alone they wait.
Alone they become.
- william goynes