The Death Of A Brother

The call came in the middle of the day.
It was his sister
His brother in the hospital.
The doctors say it’s the end.
He didn’t remember the rest of the call.
He has told the doctors
to turn off the life support
and his pace-maker.
It was a long night.
He slept very little,
Late the next morning,
his older brother,
had died from heart disease,
diabetes, and kidney failure.
He was 69 years old.
The last few years,
it seems he’d lost so many people.
Grief incapacitated him.
The memories (good and bad)
came flooding in,
the ache in his heart
became noticeable
by the shaking of his hands.
Night came and he relaxed
and slept with no dreams.
The memorial service...
His brother lay in the casket,
an American flag pulled
up to his chest.
His time in Vietnam had convinced him
there was no heaven or hell.
Last night, he dreamed of his brother.
Young and healthy,
he wore the uniform of a soldier
and walked towards the hills
out of sight.