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Brogue 2007 - Belhaven College

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t h e b r o g u e<br />

My Mother’s Last Breath<br />

C H E R Y L A L E X A N D E R<br />

The room I entered was a dream of this room.<br />

There the dimness wavered, as if alive, thrumming<br />

in time with the restless heart-dance, the eeh-oh<br />

eeh-oh of the artificial respirations pumped<br />

at 450 tidal volume, 16 breaths per minute<br />

into her pigeon chest making chills rise, then<br />

fall to the beat of the cardiac monitor...a<br />

gross concerto led by the maestro, a grim<br />

reaper, hovering with cape half-wrapped<br />

around the tiny body, eeh-oh eeh-oh,<br />

Mama won’t wake up, the beat<br />

dance slows—60, then 50—<br />

moving and working<br />

for nothing...hazing<br />

this room now...<br />

blurring...<br />

no blink...<br />

eyes closed...<br />

a smile...<br />

nothing...<br />

eeh...<br />

oh...<br />

12

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