another farewell
A small affair yesterday
in the community hall
as we gathered and sat and watched some of us weep
His wife old and bent
and finally alone after forty years
every room in her house quiet now, his things left untidied – his clothes already stale
those books he never read, that paintbrush there
he put down a month ago, the day he fell
still waits
the unmade bed
his pillow
where he laid his old head
only one cup in the mornings now
no hello
such quiet nights
rachmaninoff vesper
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petebowes.com 
Sad.
Dear friend, my neighbor died two weeks ago. His 83 year old wife is alone except for my visits. Retirement dulled his sharp mind and lung cancer was discovered. Took only 3 months to dismantle a vital human. John did not smoke.
Gloria drove away yesterday to the store in a car with her windows rolled up. She was smoking her cigarrette, same as she did every day next to John. John got her cancer and now Gloria has John’s boredom.
And she won’t fly the flag at half mast or have the memorial until they can be together. Shouldn’t be long.
Mike, ok with you if I put that up … in a fashion, and thanks for the words.
Use it the way you please Peter.
The episode has made it clear to me how important proper mourning is…. just can’t get past the emotion without recognizing it first.
Seniors aren’t given the reverence that they have earned in our culture and each one of them has a fascinating story. I was lucky to hear Johns.