I want you to know
That the tears you’ll see me crying
From the corner
When your soul visits
Are not a product
Of your faults, weakness, or failures
Quite the opposite, rather

The tears are the result
Of a sometimes malicious world
That interferes with unbreakable bonds
Sutured tightly
By the purest of love and intentions

The tears mourn
The unpalatable fact
That sometimes we fight
With tenacity and ability
Beyond our comprehension
And sometimes,
We climb the obstacles, know the answers
But still, we stumble and fall.

I want you to know
That my strength existed through you
As it would have been absent
Had I not seen
Your voracious zest for life
Despite the glaring injustices and malaise

I want you to know
That we heard the wind whipping violently
as you passed
And the bells chime
As your name fell from our lips
And the tears
Dripped from our chins

We saw the sun break through
The January clouds
As we mourned you

And I want you to know
We felt you there
Assuring us that you’re at peace

I want you to know
That the fight was draining and grueling
But never contentious.

And, if given the choice,
I would do it all again.
Just to see your spunky self
Interact with the world
in your audacious manner

That I meant it, with every fibre
When I told you
“Mommas got you”
Time after time.

And that I truly did my best
Gave it everything, defied the odds
All stemming
From my love for you

I want you to know
That it was devastating to see you leave
But knew in my heart that sometimes
Biology outweighs the power of love

And you, my little fighter
Deserved to go
In the warmth of your home
Surrounded by your family
Who will remain forever altered
Without your physical presence

I want you to know
That you will always be missed
Exhibited by each “remember when”
Paired with a chuckle
And each expression of grief
When we ache for your purrs and mischief

I want you to know
That you always have a home with me
And I hope you visit often
When you grow weary
Of bathing in celestial rays

And when your soul
Settles into new flesh
I hope you find me again.

I want you to know
That we may have lost our battle
But our crossed paths
Memories
And shared joy
Lead me to believe
That, after all, we won this war