A man dropped his prescription in front of me

I picked it up trying to be polite to hand it back to him

I saw what the medication inside was

I felt my throat close up

After six years of working in a pharmacy

I knew what it was

I knew what it meant

I knew it was a death sentence

He looked backwards and took the bag from me

Thanking me for my help

And then he smiled

I was confused, I didn’t understand

How could he smile?

When the future held a painful death

Sooner than most

How could he smile?

Perhaps there was someone

That kept him smiling

Swearing to stay with him until the end

Perhaps it was a memory of someone

That loved him more than anything else

Perhaps it was a soothing hand

That would stroke his cheek

And wipe his brow

When he passed

A reason to smile

I hope he still has it

I hope it never leaves him

And I hope he’s able to smile at the end