The first one read, simply, that you were finally going to die
It was short and sweet and it was a beautiful goodbye
I read on to hear of pain, of catheters and of humiliation
Your tone was calm as you spoke of rosaries and salvation
but your less than poorly cracked jokes tell me that you're tired
from sewing buttons down the back of vertically slit night gowns
unable to conjure up the strength to feed yourself to gain pounds
I received a letter each day for six days
I opened up a letter each day for six days
I hesitated reading a letter each day for six days
until you said how much these letters had brought you peace