Job Well Done Poem by Richard Noggin

Today I sat next to a man as I told him
His wife was dying
He was strong, fighting back the tears
As his worst fear came true
I explained that she might have up to
Three days to live. But my gut told me hours
How do you take a man’s hope away
How do you dash his dreams
How do you explain, that life will change forever
I could feel his reality come crashing upon him
I could sense his need to retreat emotionally
And I felt no joy from a job well done