Forever Here

The sun rises slowly in the eastern sky,
reluctant, hesitant to release light into the
somber darkness.  Songbirds of the morning
have prepared glorious overtures, but now,
but now those symphonies seem inadequate,
and a sacred hush settles over the
mourning valley.  Yesterday songs issuing
from the forested mountainside announced
the joy of the new day, but that was 
yesterday...and you were here.

I've never felt words so misshapen in my
mouth, sharp-edged words that cut
and tear, never minding what or whom 
they bleed.  How can the universe
change so rapidly, succumb to the
ferocity of grief so majestically?  All
because yesterday you were here.

There is a jagged tear in the fabric
of life; a cold wind paralyzes all 
efforts to smile, but we know time
and memory will slowly seal the
unwanted, unexpected wound,
suture the sadness back into
wholeness again.  And some day,
soon we hope, we will touch
the place in our hearts where 
there was once unspeakable grief,
and we will smile, dare to laugh
because you are here, forever here.