His hands had held, had wiped the tears.
His eyes had smiled, grown wistful, cleared.
His strength, his love had held me up
Against those twists, those turns of life.
And then one day
It all grew still.
My heart was heavy, as only hearts can be
And all I had were memories.
That’s all you’ll have, they said to me.
He’s gone to a shore you cannot reach.
And then one day, I saw them play
My little boys, ten and twelve.
I caught my breath,
I looked again.
It was those hands, those eyes,
That brow.
The hair that curled,
The crooked smile.
They had not seen, but I could see.
There is no shore I have to reach
Because he is here with me.
