I have a friend who’s very sick in hospital at the moment. She’ll never come home. Two days ago, she made the choice to be taken off all the machines that were keeping her alive. Surprisingly, she’s still with us. As I watched her husband sit by her bed the other night, I was reminded of a poem I wrote a few years ago. It seems strangely apt. I’m no poet so they’re just some words from the heart. When I asked people on twitter earlier whether I should post a sad or funny poem, they overwhelmingly voted for funny. I apologise that I’ve gone for sad – it was just something I felt I wanted to post. I promise I’ll follow up very quickly with a funny one.
Be free my love…
Be free, my darling, fly away.
My selfish dreams for you to stay
here at my side were but in vain.
Set free your soul – release your pain.
Don’t fret, my love, or shed a tear,
for I won’t leave – I’ll be right here.
Your hand I’ll hold, I’ll hug you tight
until you breathe your last tonight.
That light you see beyond this place
is there for you, so turn and face
the beauty and the ecstasy.
No looking back – don’t cry for me.
For I will hold you in my heart;
in dreams we’ll never be apart.
The memories that fill my mind
will help me build the strength I’ll find.
Come dark of night, the end is nigh
when angels come from God on high.
So take those wings and chase a cloud.
How brave you are; you make me proud.
I’m broken now for I will miss
the blessing of your joyous kiss.
Though tears do fall, my fears dispel;
It’s not goodbye, it’s just farewell.
Maria x
Absolutely beautiful. Strength to you and your friend for the days to come.
Thanks Carole. She’s still hanging in there. x
Lovely.
My Gram is sick, too.
*sniff*
Thank you. And so sorry about your Gran. xx
Simply beautiful
That is beautiful and incredibly moving. I wish you and your friend and her family strength. I have a poem that doesn’t say much but helped me make sense of how I was holding in my pain when my father died it doesn’t say much but it helped me allow myself to release my pain if that makes any sense. A Dawn is quiet then follows the sound But today silence prevails A dawn once quiet now seems loud For today silence pervades A child once screamed in this very street And it seems I can hear it still Is it the voice of a ghost from the past Or simply the voice of my will The silence seems to echo that scream In a voice so strange so alone In a voice that seems to come from a dream Until I realize it’s my own.
Again wishing you strength Take care! Only sending because your blogs and tweets always make me smile Angela
Sent from my iPhone
Hi Angela. Thanks for that. And your poem is beautiful – so heartfelt. x
Maria, such a beautiful poem, so sad but beautiful. Thanks for sharing it.(from @GalantaEvents)
Thanks Carmel. Glad you liked it. x
So painfully exquisite. Love to you, your friend and her family. xx
Thanks Nicola. x
Beautiful and senstive expression of heartfelt feelings in a lovely poem. It reminds me of the late John O’Donoghue’s book of blessings on CD called ‘To Bless the Space Between Us’ which includes in Section Four:Beyond Endings an affirmation of the true essence of the soul of the dying expressed in John’s beautiful melodic voice. If you do not have this CD I would highly recommend it to you and perhaps even to your dying friend. The CD comprehensively embraces the core life force associated with Beginnings,Thresholds, Heart and Endings in a profound way. Thanks for sharing your own soul reflections in this fine poem.
Thank you so much for that. I must check out that CD. x