Top Five Regrets of the Dying: #4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”

threads of silver dots trailed down the moi’s back

streaking into an elevator grey

into black broken tips pulled apart

she caressed its glistening white underbelly

she knew it was something to keep her warm

she released its body in the delectable downstream

along its scaled sides her fingers rolled

pushing it towards the gritty cries of a newborn

i felt a hand on my shoulder

Look at the rules; I’m no good at this she said

as we sat through moments of silence

the water crisp in the shadow of the Hau tree

a grey-dried branch twisted under others

doubly thin branches braided over and across

bending too tightly in loops

Triggers:

I felt a hand on my shoulder

As we sat through moments of silence

Something to keep her warm

Look at the rules

I’m no good at this