It may mean nothing when you see
The tears, or when you hear the voice
Begin to catch and whisper. The
Strong drugs for pain remove the poise
And self control. Emotions rule.
Or
The patient, for some reason, may
Regret the loss of family
And friends… Feel sorrow not to stay
In this the known world, possibly
The only world. Hope fades, Faith flees.
- Steve Shoemaker, Urbana, IL, Feb. 11, 2016
Note: Views from the Edge followers recall that Steve was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in November with death expected no later than mid-January. He’s outlived the original prognosis by a month. His home on the Illinois plains has become a hotel for family and friends from around the world.
Steve posted this verse last night on his CaringBridge page. The sentence that introduced it said:
[Bad day. 2nd in a row. I’ll try to be funny tomorrow…]