I Felt That Breath

I've lived a life full of ups and downs With happiness and sadness playing like a see-saw But even during these times that the sun shined And it seemed all was right in the world I've felt that breath I've received love, even though I've never returned it But the warmth of that feeling is rare However, during this time as love held me tight And an assumed joy filled my lungs I've still felt that breath I've made lots of money with thoughts that this was the answer Nice house, nice cars and the amenities of success As I reveled in my so-called glory And assessed my fickle empire I've felt that breath During my life, I've lost my mother, my child I've lost my wife, my family. mostly by my doing I've even lost my life Not to death but to an unwillingness to live So, I've felt that breath It blew on my neck so soothing That I turned to inhale it in my lungs My mind had adhered to its call That I gave rationality to its dark path That day came, when I saw no other option And I rose from bed eager to return forever My plan was to gather all the oval and round children Biblically speaking, gather them unto me Anticipating that final breath However, there was another plan for me And as the gurney carried the shell My soul refused to let go As an echo said; "Get up. For you have more to do." Now, 15 years later and millions of words scripted I see what I would have left unheard So I say to those that feel that breath You may not see it in you but others need to hear it from you And no matter how comforting that breath is Or how inviting the call maybe Remember; many can do what you do But no one can do it the way that you do.