I cried last night

My head lay on the pillow last night
I felt a stream of tears rolling down
both sides of my face
My pillow became wet
I cried last night.

Thoughts scrambled through my mind
Of lonely days and being alone
expressed to me by a loved one
I felt human empathy for her
I cried last night

He fought with all his might
And overcame harrowing deteriorating pain
His body feeble now
Can barely raise his head to wake with the morning sun
But he defeated a tugging death
I cried last night

Assailing sorrow pervades her existence
Lost a small child to the hell of uncaring streets
When last she heard her child was fine
words last spoken still ring in her ears
Before the dark of night swallowed her
I cried last night

She sits on a blanket covered single sofa
a pillow supports the back of her shoulders
her head, slumped, reflects the light that stands behind her
Her dark scalp has been denuded of hair now many months
A nasal cannula wraps around her ears
an intravenous tube connects her arm with a machine that hums
the electric company threatening to shut off her power
I cried last night

Incessant pains throughout my body
The prosthetic hips and broken bones
And aging back no longer walks upright
Lying down gives little comfort
Although my lovely wife does, she lies beside me
I grunt and groan in lieu of snoring
I hope it does not wake her gentle sleep
I cried last night.