not quite dead

in their nineties.

living on machine pumped air.

the shelf

lined with pills.

what is the strategy here?

to live another day,

another year.

holding on to counter tops

and doors.

the walls scraped

with the falls of

walking bones.

unable to sleep unable

to wake up.

afraid of being alive,

afraid of being alone.

a cup of tea.

a bowl of soup.

bread.

the food of the incarcerated.

hardly alive.

not quite dead.