(adj.) exhausted
from Middle English “forswinke” (to overwork) and “forswink” (to exhaust)
Dying is hard work,
as anyone watching knows,
but so’s the watching,
the tending, the waiting,
the all-encompassing
all of it
when you both wish
the ending date was
marked on some cosmic
calendar while
dreading the ending
because, well, it’s the end.
What you forget is
that it leaves you
forswunk, that aftermath
is exhausting work, too,
that you need to make
yourself a nice cuppa
and tuck yourself in
with a good book
and a warm binkit
and there, there
yourself… as you did for
the one you companioned
to the end. And if
that feels too hard,
I’m here with tea
and book and binkit,
ready to tuck you in
and stroke your head.
There, there, dear one.
There, there.
Güd wrtr 
So good, so true and simply put, meaning eloquently comforting and just right.
Thinking of you, Tx J
Transformational Coach, ICF ACC Certified Deep Coaching Practitioner Affiliate Amherst Writers and Artists Writing Group Leader Wildasswriters http://www.janetjohnstoncoaching.com
Thank you, dear TX Jan! You’re the best!
dear Jan
so sorry to hear of the loss of your mom!
a long and fruitful life but never long enough
Thank you so much, Kathy! Much appreciated!
You must get the Word of the Day–I think a couple of days ago, it was forswunk. I’d never heard it, and just loved it! Beautiful poem, and so true, Jan. Sending love, Amrita
I do, Amrita, and it’s a new word for me, too. Thank you for your kind comments and love!