Contributor: Arlene Antoinette

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You won’t let yourself cry,
it’s not the right time. You
can’t say yes to letting go,
to breaking down, so let
me cry for you. Let me shed
my tears, hold your hand, comfort you.
Allow me to be the one to lose
control. Let me give in to sorrow;
ache for the miracle that never
manifested, rant against the
powerless doctors, inept testing,
ruthless insurance companies.
Let me call down vengeance on their heads
as I shed tears for the man you loved
who closed his eyes after six surgeries
and many empty promises of hope
that couldn’t put cancer in its place.
Let me cry your tears.


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Arlene writes poetry, flash fiction and song lyrics. Additional work may be found @ Your Daily Poem, Foxglove Journal, Mojave Heart Review and Cagibi Magazine.