Rise: A Poetry Collection

September 16th 2020

New

We watch it rise
She tells me
I'll be gone soon
I am young then
And I don't understand
She's always been here
She always will be
I didn't know any other way

Crescent

She is weaker now
And I've seen death
The rabbit that got run over
The meat in my soup
But I still don't think it could happen to her
It won't
It can't

Quarter

It's Christmas
She always loved the snow
But this year she is too cold
Even by the fire
We sit with her and read her stories
(Me, my brothers and the cat)
They sleep, excited for the morning
She tells me this might be her last Christmas

Gibbous

She's always been small
I hardly remember a time I wasn't taller than her
But she was strong
Stronger than my father even
Now she shakes with the smallest strain
When she was strong
I couldn't picture her leaving
(I still can't)
But now that she's weak
I can see that she might

Full

Take me outside
She rasps
The first words she spoken in days
I know my mother won't like it
But she looks so sad
And frail
That I can't deny her
She tells me to remember this moment
To treasure it
Then she falls asleep beneath the stars
And I carry her inside
Press a kiss to her papery cheek
And cry

Gibbous

She doesn't leave bed any more
And she can't eat solid food
But her spirit
(if anything)
Has gotten stronger
She is more
Herself
Than I've ever seen anyone be
We spend all our time with her
(we know we don't have long)
She tells us stories
Of her life
Her lies
Her promises broken and kept
Hearts shattered and glued back together
Bit by bit
Stay strong
She says.
Stay strong when I'm gone

Quarter (Half)

I wish to stay with her
She says she will leave soon
I'm ready. It's just the next chapter of life
(I'm not ready, not at all)
But I haven't slept in
Hours, days, years maybe
And she tells me to sleep
She will be here in the morning
(you don't know that how could you?)
So I do because
I could never disobey her
Especially not now
But when I wake
She is gone
She promised she promised
She looks peaceful
But she promised
I can't stay here
She promised

Crescent

I run
And run
And run
(she promised)
But I can't escape
I never could
I consider leaving too
Joining her wherever she went
But I picture her face
You wasted a life
And I stay
I go home
Our house is filled with people
But it's never been so empty
I'm sorry I'm sorry sorry sorry sorry
I can't take anymore of that word
My brothers are hiding in the bathroom
Smart boys
We'll get through this
I say
(although I don't know if I believe it
I have to believe it
For them)

New

The sun sets, harsh colors on the horizon
I place a flower on her grave
I'm older now
And she is long gone
But I stayed strong
(for her
always for her)
The moon rises and the light fades
But it will be back tomorrow
Always always
Like our love for her
And hers for us
Always