Invisible: a cruel fate

Invisible in a crowded room,

Betty fought to keep her mind from pain.

Laughter in a tunnel, so far away,

And muffled by the sound of rain.

She tried to look into the future,

But for all her effort, it was not there.

Her children had forgotten,

And did not act as if they cared.

The family dinners, the Easter dresses,

They didn't remember how she wiped their tears,

Held their hearts and cleaned up messes.

Cried at night, and said her prayers.

Prayed to keep the truth from lies,

To keep the present from slipping away,

To keep the past from ruling her days;

Prayed her children would go God's way.

She cried, I'm sick, come see me, son.

I know I'm leaving, and life is done.

But they didn't listen.  They went on living,

Until the day that she was gone.

Oh, now they remember, and see clearly

Who was invisible and alone.

And now they think about the times

When they should have driven to her home.

If you would ask, what regrets have you?

They would wish to love their mom,

But now, their father sits alone,

And lessons were not passed along.

He says he feels  invisible . . .