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MY ARM HUNG LOOSE,
WITH AN OCCASIONAL SWING,
AS ALONE I WALKED THAT DAY.
PEOPLE WOULD NOD,
AND SOME WOULD SMILE,
NOT KNOWING QUIT WHAT TO SAY.
NUMBNESS SEEMED TO ENGULF ALL
PARTS,
FROM MY TOES TO THE DEPTHS OF MY
HEART.
AND THOU THE DAY HAD SWIFTLY
PASSED,
I COULDN’T TELL LIGHT FROM DARK.
HOURS FLIPPED BY
AND TURNED INTO DAYS,
DAYS TURNED INTO WEEKS
LITTLE FOOD
LITTLE REST,
AND VERY LITTLE SLEEP.
THE PAIN GREW DEEPER AS TIME WENT
ON,
NOT EASIER AS SOME MIGHT SAY,
FOR AS TIME PASSED BY...
...THE NUMBNESS WORE OFF,
AND REALITY WAS HERE TO STAY.
IT WAS NOW TURNING SPRING
YET THE DAYS GREW COLDER,
AND LONGER AND MORE PAINFUL,
AS I FELT MYSELF SINKING LOWER
AND LOWER
I FELT A TUG ON MY LOOSE HANGING
ARM,
AND I KNEW IT WAS GODS POWER.
IT SEEMED I WOULD ALMOST HEAR HIM
SAY,
“WE’LL HAVE NONE OF THIS MY DEAR
COME A LITTLE CLOSER,
LET ME FILL YOUR CUP,
COME ON,
COME ON UP HERE.”
“I’LL GIVE YOU WATER,
YOU SHALL NOT THIRST,
I SHALL RENEW YOUR STRENGTH,
AND WHEN YOU GO AS FAR AS YOU CAN
...
...I’LL CARRY YOU...
...YOU WILL NOT FAINT.
HE WENT ON TO SAY IN THAT SOFT
SPOKEN VOICE,
I’VE BEEN AT YOUR SIDE FROM THE
START,
GUIDING YOU,
AND LOVING YOU
AND MENDING YOUR BROKEN HEART.”
AND EVEN THOU YOU FELT
ALONE I LET YOU STAND,
YOU ARE MY CHILD,
I’VE BEEN RIGHT HERE,
HOLDING YOUR LOOSE HANGING HAND.”
“I’VE LET YOU FEEL
THAT INNER STRENGTH
DEEP INSIDE OF YOU,
FOR IF NOT USED
IT GROWS VERY WEAK
AND WILL NOT CARRY YOU THRU.”
‘YOU WILL BE FINE,
I PROMISE YOU,
YOUR PAIN DOES NOT KNOW TIME,
THE DAY WILL COME,
YOUR LOAD WILL LIFT,
AND YOU’LL NO LONGER PINE.”
“BUT FOR NOW MY CHILD,
WE’LL GO ON TOGETHER...
...TOGETHER WE WILL STAND.
WE’LL WALK THE ROAD
LIFE HAS TO GIVE
WHILE I’M HOLDING
.....YOUR...”LOOSE HANGING HAND.”
Dedicated to memory of my dad
Rev. Earl Bucklew
@5-1-87 T.S.L.H.C. |
