For Shirley
Posted: February 14th, 2026, 7:58 pm
I just talked to her two weeks ago.
We were going to meet up for a heart-to-heart
over dinner; drinks for me, water for her.
Today, an open casket, I wanted to jump in
and lie beside her to hug her.
I have dozens or hundreds or thousands
of friends online. I don’t know them.
They don’t know me.
She lived at my house for quite a few years.
One of my only real friends.
We decorated Christmas trees together.
Cooked meals, mowed the lawn
vacuumed the carpet. She painted my room
when I was in the hospital, thoroughly sanitized
It for my arrival home, new hip, armfuls of hugs.
She fixed my furnace a couple of times,
changed the oil in my car. I loved her, my sister,
the smartest woman in the room except for me
because she knew I was a smart girl too.
A smart ass, maybe, music on the stereo.
We were going to meet up for a heart-to-heart
over dinner; drinks for me, water for her.
Today, an open casket, I wanted to jump in
and lie beside her to hug her.
I have dozens or hundreds or thousands
of friends online. I don’t know them.
They don’t know me.
She lived at my house for quite a few years.
One of my only real friends.
We decorated Christmas trees together.
Cooked meals, mowed the lawn
vacuumed the carpet. She painted my room
when I was in the hospital, thoroughly sanitized
It for my arrival home, new hip, armfuls of hugs.
She fixed my furnace a couple of times,
changed the oil in my car. I loved her, my sister,
the smartest woman in the room except for me
because she knew I was a smart girl too.
A smart ass, maybe, music on the stereo.