It takes courage to love
to let a friend in
knowing time
will win again.
Skin wrinkling,
hair graying,
me seeing,
those I love walk,
or run away.
Collapsing
gasping,
dying breath
takes all the memories
that we tried so hard
to keep in ourselves.

It takes courage
to try again
to mend the fences
fixing the gate
that lets new people in
while letting me walk out
of that terrible darkness.
Till, the black swallows
my tired grins.
I recede like my hairline
failing like falling tears
that only soften
some of the losses
felt so often.

I know that I have that courage
because I love you all
and will die
before the last person falls.