Public Republic

Samantha Seto

Photo: SashaW

Monitor electric lines go flat,
silence overwhelms, steady pulse
whispers death into my sleepless eyes.

I prayed for three nights, crying into her nightgown,
the ER remained keeper of bad news.

Flowers and miniature trinkets lined the bed,
Get well soon, only nothing existed.
I counted my breaths, pushed back heavy tears
and guilt that poured out of mind.

All I could ever imagine…
dreams of chases through grassy fields,
play hide-and-seek in our backyard.

Only this time, I couldn’t reach my hands,
run, lift above ground, to catch her.
She was gone.