Today is the worst day of her life
As for me, it's Tuesday
I try to hold space for her as if
holding out my cupped hands to catch her tears
If grief comes in waves,
She is leagues away from the surface
I am watching from the window of a submarine
Wishing I could tow her to shore
But there are no right words
No magic wand to wave
No further treatment options
If you walk the hall you hear
Rhythmic, persistent chimes
Cries for help
Television commercial jingles
Liberty liberty liberty liberty
Filtering from the doorways
Sometimes, your hear a bell clanging jubilantly
Clapping and whooping
Our cheers for those who have reached dry land
We help Lazarus rise, then
We consign your beloved onto Charon's ferry, then
We stick a band-aid on the dam breach
In random sequences for twelve hour stretches
of time that dilates and contracts
We have poured over tomes,
we have drilled the formations, the formulations
Despite our arsenal of wisdom and weapons
Sometimes all we can do is witness
