She lay on her back next to the fire,
covered in a patchwork of animal hides.
Her leathery flesh, now barren of fat and muscle,
would soon mingle with the earth that once nurtured her.
She coughed, and her rattling breath
delivered a misty offering to the indifferent stars.
Childhood memories flashed through her thoughts,
fleeting glimpses of love, hope, and purpose.
Now, alone on the longest night of the year,
she begged silently for the pain to end.
Midwinter
