Small Things
He smiles through wrinkles
She’s in the nursing home now
A tear slides down his cheek
He brushes it away
She doesn’t see
He pushes the wheelchair
Slowly up the ramp he had built
So she could visit her home
And he’s never in his home anymore
Because he’s with her in that other home
Her white veil replaced now
With a crown of silver
And she is beautiful, beaming
Because she is loved—
And not alone
Did she say “I can’t do this alone”
Or did he simply “do”
She let go – of his hand and sat in the chair
Trusted someone else to do her walking
He placed his hands on the wheelchair-
And let go of himself
I only know about a ramp, a tear and days
One day spilling into the next
Leading to this day,
With a wheelchair, and a tear
I needed to know
To see that tear
To be reminded of
Small kindnesses
That probably
Were very many kindnesses
That built that ramp
That held that hand
That led to a tear
And I saw the smile that
Reached across the room
I saw the hand that opened
The door
Letting in a light of hope
I saw the hug that emptied
The sadness of the day
I saw the note left behind
Words curing a heart
I saw ramps being built
Around us today
Did you happen to see?
©prasanta 2011/2016
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This poem was written for a poetry prompt at Tweetspeak Poetry on “Kindness”, found here.
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