I say to my widow sister,

“Are you alright?”

She says, “I’m alright.

Are you alright?”

A little too quick

With a slight cut

As if I’m a fool

Forgetting the cloud

That hangs like a noose

Around her heart

Every time she

Swings or sways

It tightens around

Her eyes and neck,

Weighs on her

Shoulders heavily

Invisible to outsiders.

“I know” is what

I want to say

But the only thing

I know is how

Much it hurts

To watch her

Hurt so much.