She reaches up from her restraining bed
and pulls me closer to her as best she can
kissing me numerous times on my forehead
telling me how much she loves and cares for me
Kissing me and blessing me as she must have done when I was born
gently touching and holding my face in her hands
her eyes softly gazing into mine and I know
she’s preparing me for her departure
as only a mother could, as only a loving mother would
again and again, kissing and holding my face in her hands
telling me how grateful she is for my birth
preparing me now to go on living without her
smiling at me through her pain
inviting me to smile back at her and not to cry
It’s our last goodbye and we both know it
probably as beautiful as was our first hello
gentle, tender and physically expressive
both of us ever so grateful for this time called life
as only a mother and a child could, as only love would
I’m loving the feel of her hands on my face
her soft lips on my forehead
the air of her breath on my neck
finally both of us smiling, as she lays there dying
I tell her how grateful I am to her, for her love, her life and mine
as only a loving daughter could and a loving mother would
