I understand what you feel,

and as my heart starts

to stop forever, yours will begin again.

My grief and sorrow override the joy

that brings me to tears

each time I hear your name,

for the darkness is creeping in,

and the light starts to fade,

and all I hold onto is you.

Your eyes, your feet, your delicate, fragile fingers.

Your laugh which now I can only imagine…

It must sound like tinkling bells, or the song

of a bird. Your button nose, small and perfect,

like the rest of you.

Time is running out,

and the only regret I have is the time I could have had with you.

And I cringe now when people visit,

because I am no longer viewed as healthy, sane,

but as frail and withered, and all I can ask for is

Time.

Time to talk,

Time to explain,

Time to apologize for my wrong doing.

I need time before my hourglass runs empty,

before the chance of seeing you blinks out.

My blood is slowing in the traffic of disease,

and I just need you.

If only I had been a little wiser,

more patient,

I would have stayed with you.

I would have spent my life and all my

Time

by your side.

But now, as the last grains slowly plummet to the bottom,

I have one piece of advice for you.

Stop. Wasting. Time.

Anna Busuttil, 13, joke-love-eat

This is one in a series of excerpts from the soon-to-be published The Worlds Within TCK Anthology.  A portion of the book’s profits will be donated to the FIGT David C Pollock Scholarship Fund.