Fwd: Poem before you die

Begin forwarded message:

Poem for Susan

Susan

Will this reach you before you die?

Should I care

You would not

Yesterday I hear you are in the end stage,

What I cry, when were you dying?

I still have more questions.

How we met,

on a late night at Lake Louise

I arrived at seminary in the dark,

Went to my room, and you

You were my roommate

I cried myself to sleep.

Who was this outrageous woman that I was going to have to spend three months with?

I was doomed

In days I learned how fortunate I was,

A quick lesson in my stupid conventional thought

You who knew me, better than most,

Who could make fun of me, like no other with such honesty and love.

You were convinced  forever we were meant to know each other, thrown together by the Regent

We were seminary sisters.

Your loyalty to me , was like none other.

You proclaimed my greatness out loud

You stood your ground, took the bed next to the window,

As you sermonized about my drinking

My clothes

We were both tidy.

But it was later in my life that you served me.

Bound by the blood of our three months in Canada

You were an ear and a patron of my deepest depressions.

You knew me, and were unafraid to speak the truth

To cradle me in the loving kindness , that recognized the spectrum of my existence

And would call a spade a spade.

You came close enough to see

You were never afraid of the ugliness

You were never afraid to proclaim the virtue of beauty

You were never afraid to make fun of me.

I will forever be indebted to your chuckle, and warm softness , that came so close

It is not a surprise that you

Would die on your own terms

But please know, the tarot cards, your poetry, you dealt for so many of us,

Were the hallmarks of our lives

You reigned supreme.

Let this poem reach you to say.

Thank you so much Susan for holding my pain so close to your heart.

And being able to laugh at it.

I will never forget you.

I love you so much.

I still don't know why you called me Sister Wind,

Adios you cracker jack

Love

Irene