Slipping Away

They gather there most every morn The retirees at the coffee shop To discus events and each others ills Politics and the new traffic stop It is a highlight of their day To greet each other as they dine And so it's easy to take for granted They're always there,- rain or shine But then we notice - Joes not there On the second day and more Investigation tells us - he passed on It's just not the same as before As we adapt to his departure Months later we miss Mary's face Sadly we concede, she is gone Only her memory - we embrace Slipping away - - slipping away ! Dear ones that we miss so much As the blossom of a summer flower Relinquishes life, to winters touch But we are reminded in God's Word Life is but a vapor or a flower So is the span of our sojourn here We know not, the day or hour But there's a promise to each one Who is anchored, safe in His fold The future can yield untold rewards In a Place where, "we never grow old" So there's consolation we can claim When a dear one "slips away" For them - it's just a stepping stone To usher them from, a house of clay Colan L. Hiatt = 01-26-14 © All Rights Reserved