How can I breathe?
How can I be?

Dropping dead in front of my students has never been a fear

until today

You three young people who
I love
more than my brother
more than my cat
more than Harold Chenille

You laugh with me
You read with me
You cry with me
You cook with me

You share your life with me

hoe cakes
sausage links
Bacon and time
Stories
Similes
Moments and
Rhyme

A meal
A feel
The four of us steal
(and it’s not even FriYay)

Raise your cups to Christmas
Orange juice
Sausage
Bacon
And us

And then…

My heart becomes cayuco in an ocean storm
Fluttering and falling
(fear that it is failing)
It races and slows

I have to take this call

Don’t let me die in front of you
You three
You trifecta
Keep my heart afloat

Purpose and sarcasm
Ripple my soul

We visit sideways
We ebb and we flow