I heard tonight my mother is dead,
The echo of which still resounds in my head.
She would have felt nothing, they say,
Little comfort as night turns to day

Pain surrounds me, physically and mentally,
Which is dulled by drugs eventually.
I feel trapped, but am unable to run,
Both legs are broken; I’ve failed as a son.

I was lucky, so I'm told,
The knowledge of which turns my blood cold.
As delayed shock sets in,
Doctors decide against the use of a pin.

My wife and son are always here,
But their sorrow makes it harder to have them near.
I feel the accident was my fault,
Lack of concentration caused mum's life to come to a halt.

I soon return home,
And friends' sympathies flow through the phone.
The reality causes such intense pain,
In preservation I withdraw, to keep sane.

I’ve become a stranger to myself.
And admit I have shaky mental health.
Claire and Sam are a world away,
They try to get through, but I hold them at bay.

In time my isolation no longer protects me,
Instead of a haven it becomes a prison, I see.
I force my way back into their lives,
And thank God for the most patient of wives.