You see People Every Day You will Never see Again

[Tim J Brennan]

to ease the passage of a godless. 

If you're right in your interp Linda I think this line lessens the 'feel'. 
A title change and just 'to ease his passage' would have created a deeper sense of loss.

I've been there once, it was a protracted death. He seemed to die (or so we thought) so many times...but he'd 
start to breath again, and on it went. 
I'd imagine grief is worse for someone with faith who's watching a faithless relation die...an extra sadness.


 

Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation, Colm, and I'm glad this poem moves you to have one. Thank you for yours.

[Colm Roe]

Add to that being asked (suggested) to turn off life support...his life in your hands!

[Tim J Brennan]

Add to that being asked (suggested) to turn off life support...his life in your hands!

I was a son who was glad my father died. And I prayed for it.

[Colm Roe]

Maybe I'm a hard bastard (and I'm not), but I'm not feeling that here?
The first S distanced the connection for me.
 

[Dave]

I know the situation only too well and it is a tough one. The emotion of the poem begins to unfold towards the end once its truly apparent it referscto a personal experience - at least for the N. The word godless has a cold hardness to it that at first read lacks sympathy - at first read. Keep coming back to this to look at the layers

[Tim J Brennan]

I know the situation only too well and it is a tough one. The emotion of the poem begins to unfold towards the end once its truly apparent it referscto a personal experience - at least for the N. The word godless has a cold hardness to it that at first read lacks sympathy - at first read. Keep coming back to this to look at the layers

Thank you, Dave, for your effort to look a bit deeper.