I hope that she dies in her sleep,

silently, painlessly, unknowing; and

that I will wake up and find her,

cold and peaceful.

I will freak out, of course, and

call friends until someone can

tell me what to do.

I hope she lasts till summer –

I can picture us in the

back yard, her asleep in the

grass (she sleeps a LOT),

me in a lawn chair, reading.

I think she would like that.

Even as she is slipping away, there

are things she is aware of and I think

a summer day would

warm her soul.

I don’t want her to die now when it’s

cold.

I will bury her by the garden, near

the zinnias, near the colors she can’t

really appreciate, but I do.

I want her to be in a happy place.

I want to smile when I remember.

by Cher Bibler