The Day He Died

by Diana Hullinger
(Terry, MT, US)

He hands me the phone.
“It’s for you.”
Mother has bad news.
What should I do?

“Your uncle Steve shot himself.”
I didn’t expect to hear.
I stayed so calm.
Not a tear.

Asked some questions.
Hung up the phone.
How could this happen?
I felt so alone.

He asked “what’s wrong?”
As I cried.
I cried for hours
As my heart just died.

They tried to comfort,
But it did not work.
I felt my heart.
Jerk jerk jerk

All the crying
For all those hours
Turned into years
Like the twin towers.

Part of me refuses to believe it.
The other doesn’t want to.
I’m just so sad.
Uncle I miss you.