Last Will And Testimony Poem by Louise Marie DelSanto

On August of the year 2003, when the rains were banging
against the hospital roof, his hollow cheeks were
suddenly without breath.

It is not like I expected anything or expect that he
would be kinder in death than he was in life,

so he left me with nothing but what he had said
he had given me in life and was not going to part with
in death regardless and yet,

if life had just been different I would loved
to hear him call me and give me accolades,
merit awards of my accomplishments, a litany of praise
but what would it have mattered

I wish he would have left me with a kinder language
to remember, words to wrap around my heart
that would keep me safe in spirit as I went on in life

I wish he would not have singled out
by choice of awards and worldly goods, and
promises he would never keep

but on the day of his death, he left me nothing as he
gave in life, the words on the pages stating I was
given all he could in life, abuse notwithstanding.