For Jennifer

For Jennifer ( can't believe it's a year already) Elegance and beauty, a caring heart and zest for life, a loving mum and nanna, and of course, a perfect wife; a very special sister, a treasured aunt and friend. We recognised your need to rest as your days came to an end. We shared with you such precious times, those memories will stay, all we have to do is look, and you’ll not be far away. Your radiance will start our day by way of dawn’s first light, pushing back the sadness, replacing black of night. We’ll see you in the morning dew that coats each waking leaf, as you take away and purify all our tears of grief. We’ll see you in the birth of spring, in blossom pink and white. You’ll be the feisty wind that helps a child to fly his kite. You’ll blow a little harder, to make him laugh and run, then we’ll smile and say “she hasn’t lost her sense of fun” You’ll cleanse us with your gentle rains to wash away our fears, with the summer sun, you’ll warm our hearts and dry our tears. The vibrant colours of your soul will be the woodland flowers, you’ll be the fairy sugar plums that help us count the hours. As autumn falls your hair will be the soft hue of the leaves, we’ll hear your words of love as autumn breezes brush the trees. As the depth of winter chills our fingers and our noses , we’ll see your fair complexion in the bloom of Christmas roses. We’ll see you in the faces of your children as they smile, we’ll hear you in the laughter of Chloe, Amber, Joe and Kyle; in the lapping of the ocean waves upon the golden sand, remembering the times you walked with Bernard, hand in hand. We’ll see you when the evening brings the darkened skies, each tiny diamond star lit by the sparkle of your eyes. The soft and silver moonlight will be your gentle touch to caress the weary faces of those you love so much. You’ll breathe a silent lullaby that helps us all to sleep, and as we drift into our dreams, thoughts of you are ours to keep. *** 2 days before she died, following an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant, my beautiful aunt asked me if I would write a poem and read it at her funeral. How could I refuse?? It was an honour, but also one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. One year on, I miss her so much and think of her daily.