He Gave Me Only a Candle

Just before he lost his thoughts and memories, Before he closed his eyes and doors to sleep, Before he listened to his heart stop, Before he breathed his last; He handed to me a candle, And got a matchstick to light it. His words were commands; He told me never to let it be blown out, Neither by the winds nor the waters; And he bid me farewell. He told me not when he would be back, And I kept asking myself, Wouldn't the lights go off? Wouldn't the candle melt to death? Would I hold it forever? It was a commitment to the one gone, And a rule to maintain. The best legacy he left to me, Became my inheritance, It were the words of wisdom of a dying man, That shone in the light spread by the candle! But now that he's gone, Will I light a lamp or a bulb instead? I'll stick to the old candle, For as it melts,it solidifies in my heart, And the promise remains valid, That I shall not let it go down. I remember you uncle Jimmy, I celebrate you my dear, You were a father and a mentor, And the light you left me to hold, I shall, Not with the hands,but the heart; That you may happily rest in peace.