real or not real???

danielle-cusanelli Poems

i’m sitting at my kitchen table in my home that is no longer my home real or not real? sitting across from me is my mom my mom left this world six years ago real or not real? she takes a sip of her tea as i sip mine and she speaks real or not real? she tells me she is “in-between” she can still see things from the other side even though i can’t real or not real? i tell her i can feel her presence when she isn’t there real or not real? she looks me in the eyes and nods smiling, knowingly real or not real? I blurt out a question that’s been burning inside me “how did you die?” real or not real? she gathers herself as if already expecting this question to come real or not real? “i woke up choking, there was a light. Then everything stopped." real or not real? i open my eyes back in my room i had been sleeping. but had i been dreaming??