One-Sided Torment

She slowly becomes less and less,
I see how she fades every day,
My struggles are fated to fail,
To keep her from slipping away,

Then some days she’ll look at my face,
Puzzlement on her pursed lips,
For a moment she recalls me,
False joy, my heart lurches and skips,

I’m doing the best that I can,
Most beautiful and fragile dove,
When she sleeps I sit here and weep,
Does she recall long years of love?

When some days she calls out my name,
Could this be some miracle cure,
False hope’s a very cruel mistress,
But for her, my heart must endure,

She chats with me as if normal,
Then she’ll ask of me who I am,
I lose more of her each new day,
Enduring, as I am her man,

One dark day she’ll see me in fear,
Her bright smile I’ve known for so long,
That face I’ve known most of my life,
I’ll cry and accept that she’s gone,

At last I’m alone in this house,
From now on that’s how it will be,
I know I won’t get a reply,
I’ll ask if she needs some more tea.