The Gathering

Coming back now from another funeral We remembered Him who came back from the dead And something more personally etheral It is in our eyes, hinged on something the preacher said It was plain, they the grief collected us The way measured our missing days with memories The way we refused to stare at the dust That we had gathered for something more than memories We had been sundered since bread shew Itself as our responsibility to bring it to table. We went out To earn and were lost in the maze of the new Then found our everyway blocked by salient thoughts of doubt But there that dying cleared the way to come And there we called the roll to honor those who went before And felt again the young belief of old freedom And that for a moment we were somewhat what were before We stood like boys laughing but clinging there Like old men to the moment we could not have again. Things we Did, things we have done, and no more to share Deeply frightened us to silence, and made us laugh nervously Put a brave face on death and pretend we too Are ready to go with it. In our hearts we know this is not the fish And we will have to go, and no false nor true Of feelings will alter this course, neither will choice, and neither wish.