A study in contrasts
Before cancer could ravage him
could wrack him with unbearable pain
could flood him with sloshing helplessness
could overwhelm him with roiling misery,
a licenced veterinarian euthanized my dog.
She administered the sedative
and the creaking of my pressure hull
was too quiet for him to hear
against the droning love,
escorting him into oblivion.
A slight pinch,
a dreamless sleep;
for five minutes
his breathing shallowed, shallowed, stopped.
Alone with his body, I imploded under booming grief.
After cancer ravaged her
wracked her with unbearable pain
After a stroke flooded her with sloshing helplessness
and overwhelmed her with roiling misery
a licensed oncologist could do nothing for my mother
He administered the sedative;
pumped morphine into her
and the low chord of familial grief
was too quiet for her to hear
against our droning love
escorting her her into oblivion
For twenty-six hours
her breathing shallowed, laboured, stopped.
Together, in the room with her body,
we collapsed under booming relief.
My dog could not consent, so I decided for him;
my mother could consent, but laws decided for her.
And bottomless loss swallowed them both.
~ Charles Martinuzzi, 2026