I saw her suffer by my side;
Day by day she grew stronger;
I grew stronger on the outside,
But inside -
I grew just as weaker.

I smiled to comfort her,
And she -
To comfort me.
But inside,
Our hearts writhed in pain.


Her hair fell out-
But her eyes shined more and more.
And her lips were chapped,
But her smile , all the more pretty.
She grew beautiful with pain.

The doctor's words indicated separation was inevitable;
But still , hope nevertheless gave us hope.

Still now,
I can feel my little baby in my arms,
The way she called me "ma",
And how,  each time she did,
I felt complete.