Patiently

These were my thoughts,
While locked in my head,
Lessons to share,
While just laying there.

Flat in that hospital bed,
Able to hear and see and smell,
Unable to twitch, touch, or feel,
Time passed slowly it wasn't real.

Death came for me on Valentine's Day,
The flowers, chocolates, and card all ready,
Without disguise, he crossed my way,
My world turned slow as the car rolled and crashed.

I flipped once, then twice in the air,
Watching, Death giving me a gloomy stare,
The flowers were strewn out, the chocolates crushed,
And Death, Death with a printed card he clutched.

Death was in a mind to play,
He offered a year and one day,
Lining in bed quietly with nothing to feel or say,
"A wager I have for thee," he said,
"If love is true indeed?"

For me, a day plus a year, plus sixty more.
Oh, how I loved you, Death was sure,
Taking the bet I proved it true,
Three riddles, each a gift to bestow.

Rolling the r, "Riddle one," hissing for pause, "For the day, in an instant, I invade your heart. Let in by a sound or smell or a random thought. But, while I'm in, you cannot grin. Who am I?"

Then he spoke once again.

"Riddle two, for the year, old as time without a mate. Known to men and women alike. Those who know it well do not tell, for even in the light, they see no delight. Who am I?"

Another rolling r for "Riddle three, I'll give you sixty more. It could be the top or bottom, left or right, the front or back. Always together. Always apart. Who am I?"

With the answers,
I did give,
against Death, I did win.

Saying, "You have won a day plus a year, plus sixty more."
Releasing my soul and possibly my core,
Till I woke from the day and one year,
Death threatened me no more.

In the beginning, you would visit every day,
Talking or reading and then crying, wanting to stay,
You no longer smile, your eyes are all shallow,
I saw sorrow the answer to riddle one in you.

The year has passed so dreadfully slow,
Weeks turned into months as I lingered, so,
You visit just on Sundays and don't last as long,
Loneliness answered the second one.

You last visited a month ago,
I heard the nurse say,
I can't move, blink, or twinge.
Yet, hear and see each and every day.

The nurses are carrying on,
Flowers given to one,
Another has chocolates,
Wrapped in a bow.

Valentine's Day and the year is through,
If Death is honorable one more day, too,
Sure enough, Valentine's Day plus one,
I coughed, then blinked, then awoke, too!

Now it is time to spend the sixty with you,
Awake but weak, you're the only thought that day,
The doctors and nurses whispered and fussed,
A week went by as they had nothing real to say.

"I needed strength," they said,
While I replayed conversations in my head,
Yet, despite the double-talk, I already knew,
On Valentine's Day past, Death came for you.

Then it occurred to me the meaning
of riddle three, the other side
Now I have sixty to go. My love
I'll be waiting patiently.