AIR ~Written by Connie J. Tucker

AIR 

I watch his fear slowly diminish, but mine intensely grows,

As I watch him breathe through a portable oxygen hose.  

I suppose I shouldn't be overly protective, overbearing,

But does anyone know who to call for lung repairing? There is this waiting list, they call it that for a purpose,

Lingering by to wait for someone else to die, a donor circus.  

Still that isn't enough, he may not fit the criteria for a new lung,

Not healthy enough, not sick enough, replaced by someone young.  I try not to complain as he is so humble and patient,

I cannot accept his condition, as he is perfectly complacent.  

Its impossible to watch someone you love struggle for air,

I looked to God for answers, and used to wonder if he was there.  I used to think that this is the work of some celestial scandal,

Then I remembered, God gives us no more than we all can handle.

There is no room for blame, this disease has an agenda all its own,

I only now pray that I had the strength that my loved one has shown.His endurance is an avalanche of cascading strife..

Teaching me to truly breathe the oxygen of inner life.

~Connie J. Tucker

**Connie J. Tucker is niece to Jeff Tucker and wrote this poem to express her feelings about him having Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.  Connie, you are an amazing writer!  ~Thanks to Jeff for allowing me to publish her poem. xoxo ~Breathing