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1986
They left us with him because they knew.
His bald Irish pate flushed with the coming moment.
He called out.
In the intensive care unit his eyes wide
He called out the fluorescent light his eyes Irish wide.
Ethel…the sheet scant white over his bony legs.
My mother grappled at him his upper plate
Fell from his mouth my mother struggled to touch him.
To restore him his false teeth she cried trying to put them back in.
His mouth slackened and I saw the brilliant blue fade
Reflecting that urgent light fluorescent.
I saw my grandfather’s eyes dim, his breath leave him.
My mother fell into his chest not moving she held his
Teeth from sixty-three years she held him.
She fell through and I, too fell through I.V. tubing, heart monitor lines catheters tethers fell through to him. Through him.
I fell too. With my mother
I saw light leave his eyes.
by John David Capps
