the end of a life

The End of a Life 

The call we had expected came this morning
her brother had died, death had for a long time coming
He was a great talker but lost the ability to speak
he could no longer smile or cry, show emotion, to 
protest,  to scream, a body still in a hospice bed
His family is in mourning but also relieved, too
had waited for an end when there was no future
Everything living has a beginning and an ending 
There was once a summer when we swam in
sun warm sea
When winter came, many drowned, like fishermen
in stormy seas, but there is autumn that for many
is a good time when we hope for a quick exit 
Is he dead? but I saw him yesterday, and he looked fine
We hope for mercy; in the meantime, we live, smile
and sometimes cry