she thought
Her eyes, unmoving
searched the room around her-
the ceiling, people’s heads, torsos
candles at her head and at her feet

Nearby, a child wept
She longed to reach out and comfort him
Tell him
I am still here
I am still here

But her hands remained at her side
Her hair lay flat on the pillow, her eyes glued shut
People moved in and out of the room
and she watched the dust
float across a beam of light as if in a snow globe

I am still here
I am still here