Beloved Brother Poem by Sara Hol

With god in his grace,
me; lying in the water

I saw the reflection
of his beaten face
and thought of my brother.

Spare him I beg
and willfully plea,
but I know his fate ahead
does not depend on me.

His weight had lessened,
his smile did recede
the pills had quickened
ending with bitterness
and rage.

He is in a fatal condition
killing the illness we already know
All I can do is watch
as his future becomes predictable.

I prepare my broken heart
for the images lying dormant in my mind,
the day my family dresses in black
lowering his body to slowly decay
and rot.