His doctor told me so many distressing things

I handled it well, accepted what each day brings

Since he can't be on intravenous forever

I had to make a choice I'd considered, never

-

Fed directly to the stomach or through the nose

I gave permission, the stomach's where his food goes

He wouldn't starve, but I got terribly upset

That this is the only means of eating he'll get

-

Like most folks, my father loved the taste of good food

That's placed gladly into the mouth, savored and chewed

It's one of the great joys in life, to sit and eat

This feeding tube made life dismally incomplete

-

The doctor said he can still eat, the tube removed

If Dad's condition dramatically improved

Dad knew not about the tube, I'm grateful for that

A few difficult days later, his line went flat