when sickness came

bet on what s/he thought would be
a “sure thing”
(sure, s/he wouldn’t admit to
him/herself that there wasn’t such
a thing as a “sure thing,” but s/he
liked to play pretend with the best of
em’)&
those first years were just like
everybody spoke of,
they learned about each other,
they saved & had a child &
in that child they invested time &
emotion---
the kid began to grow &
the family seemed so perfect
until
sickness
came.

couldn’t put a finger on it
even if s/he tried, but there was a
change in the significant other,
there was an inexplicable change---
came on like a calming wind in the
middle of a Summer’s day &
yet began to burn quickly
like a fire whose embers would grow
& not fade.

when sickness came, s/he couldn’t explain
just what it was that s/he was thinking,
but his/her significant other wanted answers
& it only provoked the situation---
didn’t ask the right questions to begin with,
didn’t think about the genes,
didn’t think about what s/he was becoming,
didn’t think about where it all would leave.

left with the kid, was all that s/he could do,
because said significant other was spinning
out of control,
where blood did spurt from him/herself &
others, tearing up the world around him/her,
going down with the ship &
no one saw it coming,
no one had any idea that such a sweet
person had such torment on
speed dial,
nobody new how to deal with it until
it was too late &
everyone still living
suffered,
after sickness came.