My Sister's Text

by Tom Hatch

She was diagnosed with cancer
A couple of years ago
Given different names that meant
They were not bad, "bad" could be
Dealt with, with given treatment
Names that were not bad, "bad"

On her email, texts and Facebook
Keeping us all abreast of
Her treatment and condition
Good, ok good, wow in remission
Lately her written font was getting bigger with every
Message sent
A little new spot
Was plucked from her vulnerable body once young
More treatment keeping
Praying fingers crossed
She has the faith that is inspiring
Somewhere up there with
Job that we always said we
Would read together
Then one day, that was yesterday
(it will always be yesterday)
She sent me a text "call me
I cannot write about my
Prognosis anymore it is getting
Complicated" the font
Got so big
It could not be seen on a page
Only negative space between the
Letters of e and a as in death

It was like a beautiful spring
Day the blue sky darkened
Running for cover in a foreign city
Where I had never been
To an awning sheltering
Myself from that call
Waiting for the rain to stop
It did but not to a sunny sky again.

I made the knowing call
Her liver is going
It is like a bag of cement
That sat out in the rain
Curing
Her death we cried
She did not cry for herself she said,
"But for dad he is overwhelmed
With grieve". But maybe that was
Her way of crying for herself I worded
With my mouth no sound

To sis this is the open door
To Christ and God and heavenly sights
that is her faith
I will hold that faith for her
I cannot say that about myself.
I have no heaven and only death