mum, old age, Open Participants 2021, The Network
On death
She slips away gradually Retreating from the trivia of daily life The daily paper resting, unread, upon her lap – Sometimes she notices and is surprised to find it still unread – No more Suduko, no more politics (This latter is a relief to her left-wing children!) Her mind folds in: a moth without a flame As her body tells her it is time to leave.