The presence of your absence

sometimes nearly stifles me.

It comes in crushing waves,

from somewhere I can’t see.

I’m thinking I’ll be alright,

and go on, a while, without you,

Then, suddenly,

quite suddenly,

I’m struggling too merely be.

My world is shrunk without you,

With few warm or happy places,

but the light of our love is still shining,

and I see it in our children’s faces.

So you go ahead without me;

And we’ll linger here for a bit.

(It is as I prayed it would be.)

And we’ll warm ourselves with our memories,

Until, once again, we will see,

each other’s arisen perfection,

In the heaven that’s promised to we

that have Loved as He always intended,

with a Love that forever shall be,

as it is, was, and is given,

In God’s grace,

to this grieving…

me.