Suffering

The unease of not knowing what will happen next
The discomfort of immobility
of limbs tight and weak
trapped beneath cotton sheets.
Remembering what came before
Dancing and twirling on that smooth floor before losing
Toes and tibia to awaiting microbes.

Immune to medical breakthroughs
Knowing that next
an unknown hand
wraps around and holds on to
neck and ribs...

and works it’s fingernails into the cracks
popping air sacs
once fresh with moonlit air
now wilted with the stale breath
Of an ending
Unbidden,
Unprepared
Unbelievable
And unavoidable

suffering