Let me hear you smile

Sitting in your lap
Protected from the world
I smile at what I have
At what I will never lose

I’ll come again the next day
And spend hours in your garage
Laughing and joking with you
As you teach me how to love

I’ll get a message two days later
A reply from your roommate Bill
He’s never met me, but he’s sorry
He doesn’t know what to say

I’ll come again the next day
I’ll see you lying there
A monitor breathing for you
Your baby sister crying at your side

I’ll come again the next day
And see your family everywhere
The people that you look after
Are lost without you there

They can only pray
As I visit when I can

I’ll get a phone call one day
Unexpected and surprising
I hear your voice on the other end
And feel my body melt beneath me

I’ll come again the next day
Prepared in disbelief
How can it be your voice I heard?
Anticipation eats away at me

I can read it on your face
The moment I walk through the door
You tell me everything is fine
But your eyes never learnt to lie

The doctor’s warning comes later
While you sleep unlistening
An image of serenity
Untroubled by what I’m now hearing

I’ll come again the next day
Again you’ll tell me you’re fine
Today you have the strength to hug me
And I lie on your bed until you sleep

I’ll come again the next day
And help you eat your lunch
It’s funny how we’re normal
In this sterile white environment

I’ll come again the next day
And I’ll find your room is empty
Panic catches in my throat
The fear of death upon me

But today you’re walking
So fragile and so slow
I take your hand and follow
As you ask me how I can stand it

I’ll come again the next day
And see you’ve left denial
I sit with you forever
And see the fear building in your eyes

I’ll come again the next day
And find that panic has set in
You’re worried about my part in this
You don’t want me upset

I’ll come again the next day
And walk with you again
We laugh and hug and kiss
We laugh and hug and cry

I’ll come again the next day
You don’t feel so well
We don’t walk today
You just hold me by your side

I promise I’ll keep living
I promise I’ll be okay
I promise I’ll love again
These words you make me say

I’ll come again the next day
I’ve cried the whole way here
I don’t know why I’ve done that
Until I see that you’re not there

I’ll never come again the next day
I’ll never see your smile
I’ll never hear your voice again
I’ll never be alive

I’ll sit here in this empty room
For longer than I should
I’ll find that silver ring of yours
It’s now the only thing I’ve got


“...I’ll stay right here my love,
You and me forever...”