You and Death

I stood between
you and death
For I am not strong
like you
nor brave
And so I took your place
I know what they will say
They will call be noble
and they will call me brave
And they will all be wrong
It was not courage
It was fear
blind fear
and selfish weakness
that put me
between you and death
I knew
I knew it would hurt too much
to watch you die
to live without you
I could not bear to be
the one left behind