She holds the dead body of her brother
Long after it's grown cold
Like I had once held a dead kitten
In a washcloth...
Anguishing over a loss
That I couldn't have helped.

I couldn't have helped this one, either.
No matter what we have
Who we know
Who we are
Death takes us just the same.
We all leave...
Cold
Pale
Blank
Empty.

I remember,
That for a while
The kitten was just limp in my hand...
When I laid him down for a bit
And came back to check once more
Just to be sure
That he was gone
He was stiff
Stale
Like he had never been alive at all.

I asked my sister to bury him.
I could never be sure he was really dead
Even though he had no breath
Was he still there
Somewhere?
What is death...
Anyway?
What is it
People say?

He's passed
He's gone
He's deceased
In heaven
In hell
He's left
(he's not here?
are you sure?)
I'm sorry for your loss
My condolences
He's at peace
He's at rest
He's watching over us....

Where is he
Really?