POETRY CORNER: She Can’t Remember (to Katherine)

She Can’t Remember
(to Katherine)

by Gary Haskell

She reaches out to me
with that same, sweet smile
Takes my hand and says, “It’s been a while.”
Though there’s a lot of pain.
I know she’s not to blame.
She can’t remember.

She’s been changing
for a couple of years.
We’ve watched her laughter
turn to tears.
As she stands in front of me,
It’s plain to see.
She can’t remember.

No, she can’t recall the nights,
we held each other tight,
as our bodies melded into one,
until we made another one.
She can’t remember.

We have to leave her here.
They’ve made it clear,
their care is best,
she needs the rest.
As we leave, we pray,
That someday,
She may, remember.