Journey's End
REST AWHILE MY WEARY TRAVELLER
YOUR EARTHLY JOURNEY IS AT END
SAY GOODBYE TO THOSE WHO’LL MOURN YOU
AQUAINTENCE, FAMILY, FRIEND
STEADFAST WIFE AND NOBLE MOTHER
ALL YOUR DUTIES ARE COMPLETE
YOUR REWARD A NEW ADVENTURE
TAKE THIS GIFT AND BE AT PEACE
LEAVE BEHIND THE TEARS OF LOVED ONES
LAY YOUR HEAVY BURDEN DOWN
CAST ASIDE YOUR WORN OUT BODY
PAIN AND SUFFERING NOW BEGONE
JUST AHEAD SOMEONE IS WAITING
WHO HAS PASSED THROUGH HEAVEN’S DOOR
ANTICIPATING YOUR ARRIVAL
A CELEBRATION IS IN STORE
PREPARE TO STEP BEYOND THE CURTAIN
SEPARATING LIFE FROM DEATH
ANSWERS TO ALL OF LIFE’S MYSTERIES
THIS AND MORE YOU SHALL POSESS
THOUGHTS OF YOU WILL BRING US COMFORT
YOU’RE IN OUR HEARTS, YOU ARE NOT GONE
AND IN OUR TIME WE’LL COME TO JOIN YOU
ONE LAST FAREWELL AND JOURNEY ON
Sharon Catley
Oh Father Receive my Soul
Oh father receive my soul,
receive my soul I pray
gracious lord receive my soul
receive my soul this day.
I'm on my way to the feast with you,
to eat to drink to be merry with you,
no more shackles of life to bear
no more worries and no more cares.
receive my soul I pray you lord
on this joyous day.,
don't weep my friends he'll comfort you, cause I'm far away,
like rays of sunshine I rise to him,
as my body withers and dies,
this life was never for me,
We live a life of lies.
this day I waited since the dawn of my days,
sitting at his side,
he shows me the errors of my ways
through the fire in his eyes,
I see truth and break free from the earthly spiral I once new,
clasped firm in his arms,
one lives one dies.
Les Morris
How We Survive
If we are fortunate,
we are given a warning.
If not,
there is only the sudden horror,
the wrench of being torn apart;
of being reminded
that nothing is permanent,
not even the ones we love,
the ones our lives revolve around.
Life is a fragile affair.
We are all dancing
on the edge of a precipice,
a dizzying cliff so high
we can't see the bottom.
One by one,
we lose those we love most
into the dark ravine.
So we must cherish them
without reservation.
Now.
Today.
This minute.
We will lose them
or they will lose us
someday.
This is certain.
There is no time for bickering.
And their loss
will leave a great pit in our hearts;
a pit we struggle to avoid
during the day
and fall into at night.
Some,
unable to accept this loss,
unable to determine
the worth of life without them,
jump into that black pit
spiritually or physically,
hoping to find them there.
And some survive
the shock,
the denial,
the horror,
the bargaining,
the barren, empty aching,
the unanswered prayers,
the sleepless nights
when their breath is crushed
under the weight of silence
and all that it means.
Somehow, some survive all that and,
like a flower opening after a storm,
they slowly begin to remember
the one they lost
in a different way...
The laughter,
the irrepressible spirit,
the generous heart,
the way their smile made them feel,
the encouragement they gave
even as their own dreams were dying.
And in time, they fill the pit
with other memories
the only memories that really matter.
We will still cry.
We will always cry.
But with loving reflection
more than hopeless longing.
And that is how we survive.
That is how the story should end.
That is how they would want it to be.
- Mark Rickerby
Message
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
SEND GOD MY LOVE
AS YOU FLY AWAY HOME
ON THE WINGS OF A DOVE
WHEN I HEAR YOUR NAME
I WON’T BE SAD
I WILL LOOK TOWARDS HEAVEN
SMILE AND BE GLAD
SIMPLY TO HAVE KNOWN YOU
HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE
MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW YOU
YOUR MEMORY I WILL TREASURE
FOR ALL OF THE TOMORROWS
YOU DID NOT RECEIVE
I WILL LIVE MY BEST TODAYS
AND IN GOD I’LL BELIEVE
WITH A HOPE THAT ONE DAY
WE WILL ALL MEET AGAIN
GOD’S PROMISE TO US
A LIFE WITHOUT END.
Priscilla Munson
Holding March
What’s March hold for each of us
Tis not for us to know
This march I lost my brother
And a huge piece of my soul
Watered eyes vying to be resolute
A chin striving to be steel
Hop upon my shoulders
Your atlas while you reel
I can not fix this
This much is true
Nothing I can say or do
Can return the smile I loved from you.
From you I know that joy from life
Can be found in simple places
That helping hand and wit
Brought joy to all our faces.
I will attempt to cultivate
The happiness that you spoke of
A lifes work, that pursuit
Nothing to make light of
So raise your lantern brother
Be my lighthouse through the vail
And one day walk together
On your side of the trail.
Chris Lakey
Nan
Francis Mary Sheila Goddard
1922-2008
Francis, Mary, Sheila, Molly, Maid, Mam,
All of these names but to me, simply Nan.
So many things, to so many of us,
But today no bother, today no fuss.
Let her slip away quietly,
Her work here is done,
No more fighting
No more fun.
Her advice and her wisdom, she gave them for free
They’re locked in our hearts and we have the key.
Whenever we need her, just close our eyes
The memories and sayings will flow from inside.
Nan guided and nurtured us, each day by day
Til her body gave up and she ebbed away;
But remember her now as she used be
Surrounded by trophies, her dog days of glory.
Remember the garden and flowers she grew
The roses and fuschias in every hue
The stitches she sewed and the prizes she reaped
The people she taught, the lessons they’ll keep.
Stand in your kitchen and remember her bake,
The pies and the pastries, the chutney, the cake,
Remember the rows and the scoldings you had
Remember them now, smile, and be glad.
She lived for her family, she lived for Tom,
She was his maid, the words to his song,
She was his trouble, she was his strife,
For sixty-one years, they shared one life.
For Dad and for Reg, she was firm but fair
Giving all that she had, always with care:
And so it transcends, through this family tree
She is in you and she is in me.
Nan will always be here, in all that we do
Every step that we take, she takes them too.
So rest well Nan, by your rock, by your tree
Smile once more, for now you are free.
Maria Goddard
Poem for Baby Joshua
We never got to meet you but we loved you all the same,
We hope that one day time alone will take away the pain.
We saw you waving on the scan, you were a funny sight,
We couldn’t wait ‘til one day we could hold you very tight.
But meeting you was not to be, the angels beckoned you,
They only take the best you see and this we know is true.
Your Mummy and your Daddy too, they would have been just great,
Your brother, he’s called Benjamin he would have been your mate.
Your tiny hands, your tiny feet they needed to be stronger,
We hoped and prayed that you would hold on just a little longer.
The cruel pain of losing you for us has been intense,
You seemed to be just doing fine, it makes no common sense!
Are you looking down on us and wishing you were here?
We pray with all our hearts that we will always have you near.
We’ll think about you all our lives, your memory’s alive,
We wonder what you would be like if only you’d survived.
We’ll think about you when we see a brightly shining star,
When we look up to the heavens we will wonder where you are.
How can the world keep turning round with everything the same?
It feels like something died in us and grief will just remain.
The tears we’ve cried were all for you, your Mummy did her best,
You were too tiny to survive but you have now been blessed.
Our hopes and dreams are shattered now and we must all move on
But we will all remember you, even now you’re gone.
Your Nanny and your Grampy too, we are so very sad,
We think of all the good times that we really could have had.
And so “goodbye” dear little man from all your family
We wanted you to be with us but it was not to be.
Pat Stockley
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