My Best Friend

My best friend died last night.
I held her hand
As her life slipped into eternity
Helpless to plug the dike that held back death.

I ached to share some of my life's energy
With her,
As we had shared so much in the past,
But the breath of life is
An encapsulated commodity, a non transferable asset.

Instead, I shared my spirit
Confident that my love
Could bridge the abyss of eternity.
I talked, I reminisced, then finally
I wept
As the dike gave way.

My best friend died last night,
Though we were friends
Since I was a child
I never called her by her first name.
I always called her
Mom.

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