Covered by shadows,
I watch your loved ones gather.
Tears on cheeks,
gentle sniffles.
Someone shares a memory,
and they laugh.
The squeaky wheel of a nurse's cart
approaches.
I smell her vanilla perfume.
A gentle knock.
Her footsteps move toward your bedside.
The room grows heavy
as everyone quiets.
"Heart Rate 119.
Respirations 32,"
She tells the family.
I notice you're grimacing.
The nurse does too.
She returns to her cart,
packages crinkling.
Then back to your bedside.
"There," she says softly.
"That should help."
The quiet chatter resumes.
Later that night,
beneath the soft glow of the beside lamp,
I approach you slowly.
You're resting peacefully,
as is the family member beside you.
Your hand is cool
and clammy in mine.
You look up at me
with pale gray eyes.
Your lips turn slightly upward.
You nod.
I place my hand over your heart
and watch you inhale
one long, low breath.
Your face relaxes into a smile.
The light in your eye's fades
as your soul leaves its shell.
We, now shadows,
approach the door.
One last look
at the body you wore,
and the spouse you leave behind.
As you step toward the light,
You look back at me
with another nod.
I slip back into the shadows
and wait
for the next breath to stop.
Mar 9
Mar 9, 2026 at 8:04 PM UTC
Covered by shadows,
I watch your loved ones gather.
Tears on cheeks,
gentle sniffles.
Someone shares a memory,
and they laugh.
The squeaky wheel of a nurse's cart
approaches.
I smell her vanilla perfume.
A gentle knock.
Her footsteps move toward your bedside.
The room grows heavy
as everyone quiets.
"Heart Rate 119.
Respirations 32,"
She tells the family.
I notice you're grimacing.
The nurse does too.
She returns to her cart,
packages crinkling.
Then back to your bedside.
"There," she says softly.
"That should help."
The quiet chatter resumes.
Later that night,
beneath the soft glow of the beside lamp,
I approach you slowly.
You're resting peacefully,
as is the family member beside you.
Your hand is cool
and clammy in mine.
You look up at me
with pale gray eyes.
Your lips turn slightly upward.
You nod.
I place my hand over your heart
and watch you inhale
one long, low breath.
Your face relaxes into a smile.
The light in your eye's fades
as your soul leaves its shell.
We, now shadows,
approach the door.
One last look
at the body you wore,
and the spouse you leave behind.
As you step toward the light,
You look back at me
with another nod.
I slip back into the shadows
and wait
for the next breath to stop.
Request permission to use this poem