Please not Sunday afternoon I said
I am exhausted after church
but that was the day that worked
so I said it will be fine.
There wasn’t much time between
the end of one service in Durham
lunch in Pittsboro
change purple stole for white
funeral in Apex
Massey’s sanctuary too small
every seat filled
several hundred people
she was beloved in church
and everywhere else apparently.
Her death took everyone by surprise
we knew she had slow cancer for years
she seemed better than fine
I got the call on my way to Wilmington
for retirement seminar
she’s with Hospice
what?!
I just saw her last week she seemed fine
doctor said she would go fast when she finally went
disbelief shock
please put me on the phone with her
she’s not really conscious
what?!
but Hospice nurse says she can still hear
I said a prayer on speakerphone
knowing dreading from experience what happens
when prayer places dying person in Jesus’ arms
oh please wait one more day I thought
so I can hold your hand kiss your forehead
give you Communion
but twenty minutes later another phone call
she is gone.
She was the best of us all.
What will we do now
someone said
we have lost her we are losing you
I said you’ll be fine
just pray just pray.
