Poetry Corner
TO ALL MY LOVED ONES
Do not stand by my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn's rain
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight;
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there
I did not die.
Author Unknown
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THE AFTER LOSS CREDO
I need to talk about my loss.
I may often need to tell you what happened - or to ask you why it happened.
Each time I discuss my loss, I am helping myself face the reality of the death of my loved one.
I need to know that you care about me.
I need to feel your touch, your hugs.
I need you just to be with me.
(And I need to be with you.)
I need to know you believe in me and in my ability to get though my grief in my own way.
(And in my own time.)
Please don't judge me now -
or think that I'm behaving strangely.
Remember I 'm grieving.
I may even be in shock.
I may feel afraid. I may feel deep rage.
I may even feel guilty. But, above all, I hurt.
I'm experiencing a pain unlike any I've ever felt before.
Don't worry if you think I'm getting better
and then suddenly I seem to slip backward.
Grief makes me behave this way at times.
And please don't tell me you "know how I feel."
or that it's time for me to get on with my life.
(I am probably already saying that to myself.)
What I need now is time to grieve and to recover.
Most of all, thank you for being my friend.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for helping, for understanding.
Thank you for praying for me.
And remember, in the days or years ahead,
after your loss - when you need me
as I have needed you - I will understand.
And then I will come and be with you.
by Barbara Hills LesStrang
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BABY TEARS
We cried tears when we learned that a child would be,
That our God had allowed you to quicken in me.
We cried tears with our loved ones as they shared our joy,
And we thought about names for a girl or a boy.
I cried tears as I thought of the things we would do
All the things that your Daddy would pass on to you.
And I cried as I thought of each inch you had grown,
As I pondered the day that you’d make yourself known.
Then to think of the world you must enter brought fears,
Once again, little loved one, your mother cried tears.
Something’s wrong, I can tell – once again there are tears,
And I’ll not get the chance of your love through the years.
Oh, the ache and the sorrow, and all of the pain
And again, once again, my tears fall like rain.
Then His peace comes to me as I think of you there,
Gently rocking with Father in His favorite chair.
Your sweet little fingers clenched tight in His palm
And His Son softly singing to help you keep calm.
Our God knew your days before you came to be,
And He knew, little one, you wold not stay with me.
So I cry but I know that, when this life is done,
I will greet and embrace you, my sweet little one.
There’s a time to be born and a time do die,
And the joy and the sorrow both make us cry!
by Conni Johnson
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EMAIL FROM HEAVEN
Night had fallen and it was time for bed,
As usual I couldn't sleep, so I prayed instead.
Dear God, I said, I miss my son
But as always, dear God, thy will be done.
I said the words but still I wept,
Then tears were done and finally I slept.
Deep in slumber I began to dream;
It was so real as night visions can seem.
I saw a line standing at Heaven's gate
And a sign that said: Here you must wait.
"Wait for what?" they all cried in dismay.
"We were good; we deserve to go this way!"
But St. Peter waved a hand and smiled at the crowd,
Please settle down, don't shout, not so loud.
And then he explained, before they filed through
That they had a small task he needed them to do.
One by one in a line you may now come along
And register for our website, Heaven.com.
Please give me the screen name of your choice;
Your email address will be @angelsrejoice.
In my dream I awoke and turned on my computer
One email subject said: Your heaven.com tutor.
I opened it up and read my email in wonder;
Surely this must be a joke or a blunder
For there in mail it clearly was stated
That for a reply my son now eagerly waited.
It told me just how I could write my sweet boy;
Now down my face ran a mother's tears of joy
So I answered my mail and then got one in reply:
Dear Mom, it said, I'm sorry I never said goodbye.
But you know that I love you and I always will.
I wish that I could be with all of you still.
But this place is so beautiful, and so serene.
Hard to explain but I know you know what I mean.
And, Mom, I know that in forty or fifty years
You'll be here with me, so Mom, please, no tears.
In the meanwhile, send me an email now and then.
Let me know all the news and how everyone's been.
Until you are here and we are together once again,
Your son in God's light, bless you, Mom, and amen.
I awoke then and knew that I had been sleeping.
My wet pillow made it clear that I had been weeping.
But how I smiled to think if only it could be true,
To hear from my son, and others who had passed, too.
But somehow I feel that my son used this way
To let me know he was fine, and that, everyday,
He is there with the Lord and the angels above.
He sees me from there and he feels all my love.
And although I miss him and will always feel sad,
Somehow a part of me also feels glad.
For I am sure now that he visited me in a dream;
It would be so like him to go to that extreme!
Knowing his mom spends so much time online -
How like him to use a computer as a sign!
So he has the last laugh and someday I can say,
Oh, my son, how you managed to brighten my day!
Wouldn't it be wonderful if this only were true?
That heaven had email and even IMs, too?
But still we can do it the old-fashioned way:
Get on our knees, bow our heads and then pray.
Copyright © Laurie J. Crist, 2001
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THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
There's an elephant in the room.
It is large and squatting, so it is hard to get around it.
Yet we squeeze by with, "How are you?"
And, "I'm fine."
And a thousand other forms of trivial chatter.
We talk about the weather.
We talk about work.
We talk about everything else -
Except the elephant in the room.
There's an elephant in the room.
We all know it is there.
We are thinking about the elephant
- as we talk together.
It is constantly on our minds.
For you see, it is a very big elephant.
It has hurt us all.
But we do not talk about the elephant
in the room.
Oh, please, say her name.
Oh, please, say "Barbara" again.
Oh, please, let's talk about the elephant
in the room.
For if we talk about her death,
Perhaps we can talk about her life?
Can I say "Barbara" to you and no have
you look away?
For if I cannot, then you are leaving me
Alone....
In a room....
With an elephant.
by Terry Kettering
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GOD'S LENT CHILD
I'll lend you a for a little time
a child of mine, God said.
For you to love the while he lives
and mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years
or twenty-two or three.
But will you till I call him back
take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
and shall his stay be brief.
You'll have his lovely memories
as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay
since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over
in my search for teachers true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lane
I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
nor think the labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call
to take him back again?
I fancied that I heard them say,
"Dear Lord, thy will be done,"
For all the joy thy child will bring
the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness.
we'll love him while we may.
And for the happiness we've known,
forever grateful stay.
"But shall the angels call for him
much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
and try to understand.
by Edgar A. Guest
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WHEN TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME
When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me,
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,
While thinking of the many things, we didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me, As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me, I know you'll miss me too,
But when tomorrow starts without me, Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name, and took me by the hand,
And said my place was ready, in heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I'd always thought, I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for, so much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had,
If I could relive yesterday, just even for awhile,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you and maybe even see you smile.
But then I fully realized, that this could never be,
For emptiness and memories, would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things, I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow,
But when I walked through heaven's gates, I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity, and all I've promised you."
Today your life on earth is past, but here life starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last,
And since each day's the same way, there's no longing for the past.
You have been so faithful, so trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things
You knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven and now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand and share my life with me?
So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me, I'm right here in your heart.
Author Unknown
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YOU ARE MY ANGEL
Do you remember all the good times
and bad times that we shared,
All the hopes and dreams we had
Nothing else could ever compare.
There will always be a place
Down deep inside my heart,
A special place where only you
will occupy that part.
I will always remember
All the beauty and the grace,
Your smile as bright as sunshine
and your beautiful angelic face.
The way your body felt
As I held you close to me,
In my heart and in my soul
Is where you'll always be.
God gave me an angel
To call my very own,
Now we'll always be together
from this moment on.
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IF ROSES GROW IN HEAVEN
If Roses grow in heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my daughters arms
and tell her they,re from me
Tell her that i love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for awhile.
Because remembering her is easy.
I do it every day,
but there,s an ache witin my heart
that will never go away
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BEAUTIFUL WORLD
The sound of my shoes on the pavement
Follows the gentle rhythm of my heart.
I feel at peace, finally.
I know who I am,
I know what I want.
The sound of the ocean
Pacifies my aching heart.
The past is falling away
I can finally let it go,
I can finally live again.
The colours of the dawn
Bring forth a sigh of pleasure.
The light chases the darkness away
I can see my way forward,
I know where I am going.
And world is beautiful once again.
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OUT OF THE STARS
Out of the stars in their flight,
Out of the dust of eternity,
here we come,
Stardust and sunlight,
Mingling through time and space,
Out of the Stars have we come,
Up from time;
Ponder this thing in your heart, life up from the sea;
Eyes to behold,Throats to sing,
Friends to love,
Life from the sea, Warmed by the sun, Washed by rain,
Life from within, Giving Birth, rose to love,
This is the wander of time;
This is the marvel of space;
Out of the stars have we come,
Time out of time before time in the vastness of space I earth spun to orbit the sun,
Earth with the thunder of mountains newborn, The boiling of seas.
Earth warmed by the sun, lit by the sunlight;
This is our home;
Out of the stars have we come.
Mysery hidden in mystery, Back through all time;
Mystery rising from the rocks in the storm and the sea.
Out of the stars,
Rising from the rocks and sea,
kindled by sunlight on earth, Arose life.
Ponder this thing in your heart: Ponder with awe:
Out of the sea to the land, out of the shallows came ferns,
Out of the sea to the land, Up from darkness to light,
Rising to walk and to fly, Out of the sea trembled life.
Stars swung the earth; Life apon earth rose to love.
This is the marvel of life, Rising
To see and to know;
Out of your heart, cry wonder;
Sing that we Live
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A TOUCH OF HEAVEN
Softly, softly, angels' wings...
Songs of God the cherub sings.
Where peace is like a faded quilt
And love the squares so beautifully built
Wrapped `round each soul who there resides
To warm the hearts where He abides.
So sweet the sound of angel voices,
Hearing them the heart rejoices.
Strain your ears and you might hear it -
Sweet sound that speaks unto your spirit.
Now let your eyes follow the source of that sound;
You will find them drawn heaven-bound.
Look closely now, past clouds and sky.
See God's Kingdom above us high?
Now see the angels, see their faces
Aglow as they bask in the good Lord's graces.
One of these is my son so dear.
He went away; he left us here.
And now my dreams take me to a place
Where souls live on in love and grace.
And I know for all sweet eternity
My son dwells in love and serenity.
Copyright © Laurie J. Crist, 2000
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REMEMBER ME
To the living I am gone
To the sorrowful, I will never return
To the angry, I was cheated.
But to the happy, I am at peace
And to the faithful, I have never left.
I cannot speak, but I can listen
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.
So, as you stand upon a shore,
Gazing at a beautiful sea
Remember me.
As you look in awe at a mighty forest
And its grand majesty
Remember me.
Remember me in your heart,
Your thoughts and your memories
Of the times we cried,
The times we fought,
The times we laughed
For if you always think of me,
I will never be gone from your side.
Author Unknown
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FAMILY
I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
that we are working for could easily replace us in
a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss
for the rest of their lives.
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
into work than into our own family,
an unwise investment indeed,
don't you think?
So what is behind the story?
Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU
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I'M SPENDING CHRISTMAS WITH JESUS THIS YEAR
author unknown
I see the countless Christmas trees
Around the world below.
With tiny lights, like heaven's stars
Reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular,
Please wipe away that tear.
For I am spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many Christmas songs
That people hold so dear.
But the sounds of music can't compare
With the Christmas choir up here.
For I have no words to tell you
The joy their voices bring.
For it is beyond description
To hear as angels sing.
I know how much you miss me,
I se the pain inside your heart
For I am spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.
I can't tell you of the splendor
Or the peace here in this place
Can you just imagine Christmas
With our Savior, face to face?
I 'll ask Him to light your spirit
As I tell Him of your love
So then pray one for another
As you life your eyes above.
So please let your hearts be joyful
And let your spirit sing
For I'm spending Christmas in heaven
And I'm walking with the KING!
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THE BROKEN CHAIN
We little knew that morning, that God
was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
you did not go alone;
for part of us went with you,
the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories
your love is still our guide
and though we cannot see you
you are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same;
but as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.
- author unknown
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