right hand pointing

C  L  B l e d s o e 

I Failed You

I dreamed you were a stop sign stuck

in a concrete island. I kept telling you

to come with me, to hurry up; why would you

want to stay here? But you refused

to move. You were so thin I could see

through your clothes, your skin,

your weak bones, but not through your dark,

veined, scared eyes. I woke to the alarm

wondering if you were vomiting blood

somewhere or already dead, but it was time

to get ready for work and my daughter

was stirring in the other world.