Laughter in the air

As they pulled up the drive.

The flowers were blooming.

The earth was alive.

 

Who would have thought?

On that very same day,

The sky would grow dark.

The clouds would turn grey.

 

They hadn’t yet told them

The terrible news.

How would you tell your children?

What words would you use?

 

Your mother has cancer.

There's not much we can do.

I know, sweetie. Don't cry.

We're scared too.

 

January, February,

March and May.

Exhausted and hopeful,

Fearing the day.

 

He didn’t know that she watched him

Praying outside.

For hours, every night,

Her father begged and cried.

 

Leaves fell from branches.

Summer turned to fall.

The announcement rang in her ears

As she walked down the hall.

 

Rain glistened softly

On a cold button nose.

Black dress, black shoes,

Hand-me-down clothes.

 

Eerie hymns pierced the silence.

Wind rustled through trees.

A child unable to cry,

A father weak at the knees.

 

Consumed with confusion.

A cold, lifeless stone.

Surrounded by people,

Completely alone.

 

The weeks passed by slowly.

She refused to succumb,

To the phone call she’d dreaded,

That had already come.

 

Her homework was finished.

She passed every test,

Met all the deadlines,

Did her absolute best.

 

Graduation was near,

No more boards, no more chalk.

Without her mother in the crowd

She dreaded the walk.

 

She zipped up her gown,

Smiled at the fit,

Pulled on the cap

That read, "Mom, I did it!"

 

As her name was called,

She walked with pride.

After all she had seen,

A confident stride.

 

With experience and passion,

Majoring in psychology.

She'll reach out to others,

Like her, like me.

 

Some day in the future

She’ll zip her gown,

Smile at the fit,

And take a good look around.

 

She’ll perceive the world differently,

See how blessed she was to have met

Such a wonderful woman,

Who she would never forget.