Blue threads and wooden needles pass through her fingers,

under, through, over and around, under and off

under, through, over and around, under and off

looking up from her work she sees 

mismatched furniture, clouds and fog

and it's this lonely feeling,

and she remembers how it felt when she was little,

but then she did have her sisters

and her brother...

under, through, over and around, under and off

.................

They sit at the kitchen table.

It's been months since he's seen her, 

and he wouldn't be here now,

but she's sick.

And maybe she's starting to look a little sick now,

his sister.

He won't say anything about it.

Let's talk about the weather, the kids, football.

Let's not talk about the cancer.

Let's pretend just like we used to,

when we were kids.

...................

He's riding next to her as she drives them both through the dark.

Thirteen years ago she lost her first husband,

in a car, on a night like this one.

Now this love.

And could it be

that this love

won't last either?

They just have to wait,

and see what the test shows, 

what the doctor says.

...................

Snip, snip, snip

Her wrists hurt again, her head, her back

her heart.

She has one more client after this one.

She's been praying so much these days.

But the prayers must be hitting the ceiling,

the news on the other end of the line

is never good.

She's the oldest,

so shouldn't it have been her?

She won't tell them she doesn't think the prayers are working.

..................

He watches her from his visitor's chair,

watches as the nurse pushes that huber needle 

into his bride's chest,

so near her heart.

His heart.

And cancer doesn't discriminate,

now it wants his baby girl, too.

He looks past her into the distance where his vision blurs,

and imagines he can see his girl sitting in one of the chairs yonder,

and he can see her clearly,

how her blue eyes turn down ever so slightly at the outer corners,

just like her mother's.

He imagines sitting here with them both, 

with their nurses and needles,

He won't leave them.

..................

The blue threads are woven now and ready for finishing.

This time for her mother.

Next time for her sister.

under, through, over and around, under and off

under, through, over and around, under and off

Everything is so hard now, and 

why does it have to hurt so much?

She prays, and 

she remembers

she still has her mama and daddy,

her sisters and brother.

under, through, over and around, under and off