Poem 645
One Last Time by Lisa Izzie

I only want to hold him,

One last time,

On his final breath,

That moment should be mine.

I want to hold his paw,

And stroke his little head,

Oh my darling Leiby kitty,

How dare you now be dead.

Thousands miles away I was,

In your final days.

I wasn't there to hold you,

Why die when I'm away?

I could not rush to your side,

I could I only call,

Now my Darlin' Leibchen

I can hold you - not at all.

Although I knew your time was near,

Why die while I am gone?

It wasn't me by your side,

Is what I find so wrong.

Small comfort that I called in time,

The last voice you heard was mine.

I only want to hold you,

One last time.

In my hearts an emptiness

of guilt and deep sorrow,

That on the day of my voyage,

Began the end of your tomorrow.

How I wish I'd stayed behind,

to be beside my friend,

so that I could hold you,

One last time.

So that it was me,

me by your side,

the last touch you felt,

and the last kiss was mine.

I only want to hold you, Leiby one last time.