When Your Sister/Daughter Dies by Tessa Naylor

I.

everything will be blanketed by a white, white snow.

An arctic desert, silencing all sound.

The Earth’s orbit stands

as beeping heart rates decline.

II.

you will be frozen

like an evergreen.

Rooted in ever-blank hospital walls, ever-blank bed, ever-blank eyes,

ever-empty

ceiling tile locked gaze.

Take one last glance before hospice hauls her away

into smoke.

III.

her-little-body-corpse-statue-will-be-rigid-with-leukemia-sprouted-with-late-spring-roses-blood-

transfusion-blossoms-body-bags-adorned-by-microfiber-comfort-cold-flesh-eyes-wet-tears-

goodbye.

Blooming-inferno-of-cauterized-love-once-begging-to-breathe-to-perceive-meat-locker-crypt-

iron-separator-pyre-retort-igniting-belief-

to a spark.

White-fire-ashes-preserved-dust-crematorium-urn-

IV.

you will not let him spread her ashes because you are selfish,

but you cannot bring yourself to

because she is the smoke you inhale, and refuse to exhale,

to let go. You search his eyes for hers and hope,

just once, they would turn.

V.

you hibernate, everlastingly.

Can’t you see?

Give in to fever, release.