FOR JEAN

ROOM THREE TWENTY FIVE


Her calendar shows another New Year
As the Ocean outside, surges so near
The snow and sleet hit her window pane
Where my sister slept; her name was Jean;
Connected securly to her oxygen tank
For seven years, she slept here and sank
Some medications helped keep her alive
Let's open the door to room three twenty five:

There's her recliner where she sat up late
To watch the shows that she loved to hate
Reality shows, Makeovers, Oprah and such
Merely passing the time as she did so much;
Playing TV Bingo some Wednesday nights
Doing crosswords until she turned out the lights
Then taking a pill so she might sleep all night long
Dreaming of yesterday when life was a song.

A sweet, blond little girl whom God nearly took
At just age six, like a page from a book
But she lived on & on and made her life fit
Though sometimes she wondered all about it;
Why her small son had to die quickly?
Why her only daughter became so sickly?
Why God took her Mother then her boy friend?
Who should have been with her now, 'til the end.

Amidst tears and laughter she tried her best
As her beautiful daughter was taken in death
Then her son struggled abroad to stay alive
While she moved into room three twenty five;
She watched as her grandson left the nest
Then said good-bye as he moved out West
The oxygen tank kept pumping outloud
As Dave, her doctor, stood smiling and proud.

TV, books, a bit of company now and then
Passing the time while growing too thin
Still she laughed and was just so much fun
It was reasurring when the visiting was done;
Memories of younger, happier times filled the air
And she showed off her new blond color of hair
As one walked away, her early supper arrived
And she'd lift the lid, in room three twenty five.

Outside it was raining and no-one could see
The tears that fell as I stood 'neath a tree
I looked up at the sky and asked God aloud
"Why her?", did He choose, from all of the crowd?
I listened but no answer was given to me
Guess I'll have to wait like the whole family
Because now sister's dead, she's not alive
God rescued her from Room three twenty five.


Good-bye, my beautiful, fun-loving sister. I will miss & love you forever, Hed