Goodbye

When you say ‘I love you’ to a dead person, They cannot hear it. The words hang like a large stone, Between your heart and your gut. They pull you down, To a dark place deep inside of you, And throw your heart up to your throat. You want to scream, But manage only a whimper. People gather around in murmurs. The air is heavy with tears. You curl up like a fetus, And pretend you are still in the womb, Despite your many years. When they hand you the ashes, You hold her closer than you could ever did, And scribble ‘I’ll love you forever’ on a scrap of paper, And set your mum free.