I saw the light inside your soul
Struggle against your body
Long bouts of dullness
Seeped into illness
Getting dimmer and dimmer
It blinked and flickered
and at times shone blindingly bright
Glowed.

I saw the life
Though your shell shuddered in pain
And your hair fell away
As your figure swayed
The longing to hold your grandchild
Lovingly kiss the soft cheeks
Ignoring that you were weak
and soothingly stroke the hair

I saw the telling wrinkles
Give away your secrets
Smile lines
and worry lines.
Twinkling eyes
Glazed over as you forgot who I am.

I saw you unwillingly give up trying
Your efforts in vain
Dragged down
Inevitably bed bound.

I saw the recognition
The realisation
The acceptance
In your spirit
and went through the refusal
The denial
Confusion and anger
Depression
And eventually a hard slap of
Reality.