My mother bit my thumb on Christmas Eve.
A fighter till the end,
as her body shut down
she snapped and jerked and gasped for breath.
I held her hand as I tried to control her kicking legs
then suddenly I felt pain shooting through my hand
I pulled my hand away from her mouth,
her hands still clasped tightly around mine.
Her once big and deep brown eyes now seemed hollow
as she stared right through me
her eyes glazed
her sunken cheeks
her missing teeth
her body now just skin and bones.
Rigid.
I gently rubbed her forehead and whispered,
shhh mama, shh.
it’s ok mama
you can let go.
but she held on
for a few more days at least.
everyday I see the progress of my healing thumb
and am immediately transported back.
part of me never wants it to heal.
by 