"Tell me"
he said, as he sat on the bed
"What does it
feel like to be dead?"

My words were
swallowed by the fear
what if
he wants to be here?

How could
I possibly explain?
The empty,
drowning, screaming pain

I looked through
my feet to the floor
What way
to tell him where I could be sure?

I put
my arm through his chest
and held his
heart and gently pressed

He sat not
breathing, completely still
As I removed
my arm, he looked so ill

"I see"
he said, as he sat on the bed
in the
quietest whisper "I don't want you to be dead"