“til death do us part"

​By: Sophie Burchill

 

Thirteen years old, yes, thirteen years

And a clean slate so far.

 

Seventh grade, seventh grade

Emotions changing, always changing.

 

February, a month for love

And the Bible’s month for expiration.

 

Sitting at the dining room table

The phone rings, it rings.

 

Mom picks it up, she picks it up.

“I’ll be right there… right there”

 

She leaves and my aunt comes.

Something has happened.

 

It’s morning, yes, the sun’s out.

The sun’s out for us, but not for all.

 

“He died, he died.

He’s gone forever.”

 

My mom and sister in tears,

But I have none… I have some shock in my veins.

 

A family friend, an uncle, you could say.

It was sudden, yes, suddenly

 

My friends were without a father,

My mom’s best friend without a husband

 

And the community with an extra star in the sky.

An extra star in the sky… he’s gone forever.

 

I was out of school, out of school.

I saw a therapist, I talked to someone.

 

I felt bland, bland and weird.

I didn’t want to talk to anyone.

 

I wanted to write… write.

 

Right after the funeral, the funeral,

I thought of words, of lyrics, if you will.

 

We were studying poetry in English

Yes, poetry.

 

So I wrote poetry, free-verse.

Freeing my mind to a different universe.

 

There are eighty, yes, eighty poems

About this man… about our loss.

 

Love is love

Until death does us part?

 

Love has no boundaries.

Death will never do us part, no it won’t.

 

It never gets easier to deal with, though.

It never does.

 

The sky has gained five more extra stars

Since his passing, his sudden passing.

 

Nineteen years old, yes, nineteen years

And a slate full of tallies.

 

Senior year, senior year

Emotions still changing, still changing.

 

Still writing poetry, over three-hundred poems.

Yes, over three-hundred poems.

 

I have so much love to give… so much to give.

Death will never do me part… never.

 

There will always be love… always.