ONE DAY...AT A TIME <br /> <br />The night <br />enters into the house. <br /> <br />It has the soft voice <br />of summer. <br /> <br />The moon, obedient <br />waits outside <br /> <br />tells a bird to be quiet. <br /> <br />The night enquires <br />about my health <br /> <br />asks me how <br />the cancer is <br />treating me. <br /> <br />I grin. <br /> <br />“We’re strange bedfellows <br />but...we get on! ” <br /> <br />“We have our <br />...moments.” <br /> <br />The night smiles <br />softly to herself <br /> <br />chats easily <br />as I fall asleep <br /> <br />listening to her soft voice <br />of summer. <br /> <br />When I awake <br />she has gone <br /> <br />and morning <br />grins <br /> <br />talks loudly <br />in that sunlight & birds <br />voice of his. <br /> <br />“Well, well <br />look who’s still here! ” <br /> <br />I grin <br />again. <br /> <br />“Hello...yourself! ” <br /> <br />******* <br /> <br />EVEN THE STARS STOP TO LISTEN <br /> <br />In her cradle <br />the baby plays <br />with the heavens. <br /> <br />I watch her <br />pretending to be asleep <br /> <br />a star on the tip <br />of each finger. <br /> <br />She scatters them <br />& laughs <br /> <br />when they drift miraculously <br />back into position. <br /> <br />The baby chuckles. <br /> <br />The stars out of breath. <br /> <br />I go <br />& pick her up <br /> <br />Cradle her <br />in my arms <br /> <br />croon her name <br />over & over. <br /> <br />Such a little <br />bundle of love. <br /> <br />Even the stars <br />stop to listen. <br /> <br />Even the cancer <br />smiles. <br /> <br />******* <br /> <br />STEALING MY LIFE <br /> <br />My future <br />slipping imperceptibly <br /> <br />away <br /> <br />but I <br />unwilling to die <br /> <br />steal my life <br />back from death. <br /> <br />The cancer <br />& I <br /> <br />both fighting for <br /> <br /> <br />my self.<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/even-the-stars-stop-to-listen-for-lyn/