I cry in the night
Due to the nightmares I had
Shaken up;fear sprained in my ankles
Unable to rise from my bed
To whine to mommy

Instead she hears my cries
And comes to me
Stroking my hair
And kissing my cheek and forehead
Offering me a warm glass of milk
Holding my hand...

Dressing up
For the first day of school
My best outfit;Barrettes in my hair
Face greased with Johnson's baby lotion
Smelling fresh, like baby powder.

We walk to get in the car
Driving towards the school
We arrive and I stop at the doors
Mommy looks down at me with reassurance
I look up at her with hope
She takes a step into the building
Holding my hand

Time for a check-up
We arrive at the hospital
She signs me in
As I run to play
On the carpet of many different countries
Mommy sits in the waiting room
Watching me as I run around.

Doctor calls my name
And we follow him into Room #4
He checks on me and suggests a vaccine.
I look at Mommy; eyes wide in surprise
She winks and smiles, moving closer to me
Doctor sanitizes my arm and Mommy is
Holding my hand.

Sixteen! Finally! Time to party
I put on my best dress
I buckle my best heels
Brush my hair up
Diamonds sparkling from head to toe
I walk down the stairs
Mommy whistles and flash the camera

I laugh, we laugh and sit down and talk
Killing time, as I wait for my date
The clock ticks frustration in my body
As I sit up and wait another hour
He never shows and tears springs to my eyes
Mascara running;streaking my face
Mommy wraps me tight in an embrace
Bellowing apologies and wiping my eyes
Still, holding my hand

Mommy was in the hospital yesterday
And today she went back
They,doctors,told Daddy and I
She was diagnosed with cancer in her breast
Treated her;chemotherapy running,burning her veins
Illness keeps her at the toilet

Her hair seems to shed everyday
Until all of it has fallen out
They say the cancer is free from her breast
But pains were steady raging in her chest
The location, the place, the spot, where her heart was.
Later that night, I heard wails of anguish and sister
Woke me up, crying, saying Mommy passed away

Feeling, lost in my hands, in my body
Tears forcing their way out, pouring
As I thought of Mommy, never there again
To hold my hand