Shall Hope Remain?

After you’ve laughed
as a child
Then grown to be
woman
Felled by love
Left by the wayside,
Brain bleeding,
Heart dissolved
then recomposed
After you’ve grown some more
given forth life
nurtured, loved
kept the home
After you’ve reached heavenward
Dreamt extensively
(Yet barely touched a spark)
After you laid awake infinite nights
Greeting morning’s waves of amber
With sunken eyes
After all your hand
has given --
You turn to gather—
expect to gather—
and failing to gather—
Shall hope remain?