When her mother succumbed

to the Big C

it was bound to speak loudly to her

no matter the black magic or cattle calls

she made above

Making it known that lightly she

would not go

her own scarlet letter marked the door

that once welcomed the neighborhood

patron saint of congeniality

As her Lovey Dovey said her so-longs

closely she prepared her little girl

to smile through the pain

the sleepless nights that accompanied

dreams of those waiting for her on

 the other side

To them it would be tomorrow

But a candle burned in memory of

her love

and will continue until the letter faded

on her door

and the letters were illegible on the candle jar

So to her

that would be never as long as

she had the strength to replace and replenish