How does he stop his mum from crying
When he tells her that he’s dying
How does he find the strength
To speak the words
Bluff strength
When he’s full of nerves
How does he best describe
There’s no chance left to survive
There is no easy way to explain
So there’s little way to ease the pain
When he dies
Some of her dies with him
Not thinking of himself
First wants her to forgive him
But when he looks in her eyes
They build a prison
So he looks to the skies
Prays strength will be given
Last night he prayed
For the first time in a long one
Poured a drink
Made it a strong one
Had a decision
Made the wrong one
Now the land of the living
Is one he doesn’t have long on
When he looks in the mirror
And it mirrors himself
He gets a shiver
Cause it mirrors bad health
Maybe some don’t see it
It’s something he can’t escape
Good life it was scenic
Now taken an odd shape.

Now he’s walking on grounds
He never walked before
And if he had the choice
He’d walk them no more
It’s a bitter pill
He has to swallow
Though he’s alive still
He’s not hollow
There’s still something inside
For the world to see
He’s not yet died
Won’t live in privacy
Now he’s told his mum
She could cry forever
But while he’s alive
He says smiles are better
Smile with me now
In what time we have
No good to allow
The mind think on the bad
The tears they’ll come
No matter how hard we fight them
So we should have fun
No need to entice them
When they come
We’ll fight them with strength
And when I’m done
Hold no hint of resent
No good to hold anger
Deep in your soul
No answer to the anger
You’re only digging a hole
Put down the shovel
Your whole life’s been work
Mama give us a cuddle
I can’t value its worth.

Life is full of chances
Many we take
Sometimes we like the answers
Others come back in our face
He went out with a near stranger
Someone he’d only just met
Was blind to the danger
Took a risk no safe bet
She was a woman of the world
He was a prowler of the night
Took comfort in this girl
Played a howler through drunken sight
But he doesn’t blame her
They are both victims here
Sometimes events occur
Where we must rise and persevere
We only get the one life
Now that seems all together clear
So while there is still sunlight
That’s light he’ll treasure dear
Life’s fight so ever near
Last rights are edging near
Yes he’s hedging fear
They are deeply embedded here
But despite this
He chooses to fight this
He looks for brightness
Through the slightest
Crack,
In the wall
Wants to try have a laugh
Have a ball
Now he wouldn’t wish it on a soul
The problems his and he takes control
And it’s funny
When people ask his mum how she handles this
Even through the tragedy a smile she always manages
‘When I look at my son and some look like he’s a weirdo
I think of all he’s overcome and in my son I see a hero’.

© Daniel Breslin