Tears
To have clung to hope
And wished for miracles
To have listened and laughed
To have put all emotion aside
Even when the tears threatened to fall
In order to be certain that any decision
Was based not on sentiment
Or what we wished would happen
But on intellect, on the facts at hand
To have sat for hours
Talking quietly, listening, laughing
Reassuring
Watching helplessly
But never once allowing the tears to fall
Because once they started, they would never end
To have met each day
With a determination to face the truth
To have looked into pleading eyes
When asked again what he already knew
To have faced over and over the realization
That death was inevitable
To have to balanced
Honesty while maintaining hope
So that he could accept his fate
With the grace and humor
Characteristic of his life
But now hope has been extinguished
And all that is left
Are memories and tears
Tears that were kept buried deep inside
While we were hoping for that miracle
Or even just a little more time
Theresa M. Leslie
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