Gracefully Written

Dear Namesake,

with bouquets of tiger lilies, 
skin that shows its worn and tired places,
a smile like sun that engulfs all the darkness,
rungs of scripture wrapped in devotion;

conviction so steadfast not a single theory could shake;
a heart as fine as the silkiest silver ever to be mined,
you soul showed me as a child where you've come from and been.
eyes so divine and feeling that you saw my inner beauty.

my life, so precious you said, as you wasted away in yours,
preaching straight from jesus' mouth into my little ears,
teaching my every day that passed,
how to encapsulate, be, and share the love from the lord and all his angels.

stricken with illness and death, you became,
so sullen, sunken and sleepy;
you had your hair shaved two months in,
and still you were my angel.

you never lost the sight of love,
despite the vision of your eyes growing dim and rotted,
but in the process of these horrors,
you never lost the sureness.

i was named after you, my dear,
and each day i am here i pray that i will,
only deepen the legacy that you began,
in the beginning of this sweet journey.

the moments that pass without you here,
they drain me of the will you taught me,
and every song you would have sung.

i could never be the image of you,
nor could you remain,
but if there is one thing that i promise your shrine,
i will always have your name.

We didn’t realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun! -Pooh Bear