She was ninety-eight
Gray-white hair
Pale and stiff
She was lowered down
Far below
Only three memories of her remain
She was in bed,
Her daughter-in-law feeding her
Still in bed,
Being cleaned up
Her in the coffin,
No life left.
Now here lies her son
His body is not here for viewing
He’s a cadaver
For med students to study
We gather still to pray
His wife is still here
Surrounded by their children
My dad among them
Will grandma be cared for
by one of her daughters-in-law?
Will the cycle repeat?
We’ll have to wait
and see