In The Days Which Follow

Your days upon this earth

have come to an end

We have gathered together 

To say our goodbyes 

As I sat in a corner

I watched as your spirit jumped

From conversation to conversation 

As family and friends shared your life

Your spirit was tugged by memories

Rehearsed in practiced tales

As you lit around us all

A sparkle here and a twinkle there

Eventually, As I watched

Your spirit spread across the room

As so many lives, changed by your presence 

Filled the room, each carrying a part of you

Family reunited

Friends introduced 

Stories shared

Memories relived

At some point

The speaking will wane

And we will return

To our varied and separate lives

You will go with each of us

In laughter and tears

In joys and sorrows

In life and death

We will leave a part of you here

But, we will take much more with us

We will take new shared stories

And newly rekindled memories

We will say goodbye

To some parts of our conversation 

However, we will take some of you

Keeping them safe for future generations 

Goodbye is never really goodbye 

As long as we carry your spirit

In our hearts

And in our lives. 

When next we gather

Your tales will lighten our hearts

Your spirit will refresh our spirits

We will laugh once again 

A lighter tear may fall

In the days which follow

We will share your life

In the days which follow 

We will be together 

© Ron Simpson Jr

July 26, 2019