She eased into counting SHEEP, allowing the day to drop away. Her body relished the chance to fall asleep EXTRA EARLY, satisfying a deep need for rest.

Georg’ann

The TOUCH of hands together,
holding for strength, comfort.
Fingers tenderly stroking hair or cheek.
An embrace, now unfamiliar.
Grief. So much grief.
Talk of the body as an empty shell.
Evacuated in trauma, reentered when safe.
Touch the vessel when life has left, a final goodbye.
Love PLAIN in such simple gestures.
Nothing FALSE when skin to skin.
No LABEL for the touches this week,
these raw moments branded upon me.
Waking EARLY, too seared to sleep.

Heather