I watched you die

There was nothing I

Could do

Before

If you fell

I could lift you

Or when you were sick

I could call the doctor

Make an appointment

Give you one of your

Medications

Feed you

Love you

Hold you

Comfort you

Reassure you that you weren’t a burden

In any way

Ever

But now

I could only

Watch you die

I held you

Felt your last moments

Heard your last

“I love you”

And remained

Holding you

For over an hour

After you were gone.

I couldn’t save you.

It tortures me

That I couldn’t.

I’d been the one

At only five years old

Who jumped on Daddy

And told him not to hit you

Which he never did

Again

I was your protector

Then as now

But I couldn’t

Protect you

From death

It was too strong

And it was too insistent

This last time

To be convinced

Not to come

Until another time.

I held you and kissed you

Hoping that somehow

As you died

You could feel

The only thing

I had the ability

To give you

Love does not die

The bond

That held us together

Remains.