Throughout life, we meet certain special people who support us and empower us. These people are integral to our wellbeing and to our growth. We share many milestones and events of life with them, and we feel it very keenly when they pass away.
A dear family friend has recently passed away and I've been moved to write a tribute to her, and all those like her. I hope that this poem encapsulates a collective sense of loss that we may all feel in such sombre times. I also wish to celebrate these precious people, for how they have enlivened us.
Our Irreplaceable Friends
Forever we cherish those we have lost,
Reminiscing in order for us to heal.
Instinct led us to them and
Empathy connected our hearts.
Never will we forget their love.
Drawn to their kindness, their smiles.
Serenely, our lives are then enriched.
Fervently we admire our allies,
Reminding ourselves of their deeds.
Inspired and spurred on by their spirit.
Eternally we look to improve ourselves.
Naturally, we are quietly calmed.
During the depths of our sorrows,
Sorrows that will transform into hope.
Forged from childhood, workplace, or community,
Rapport between us was golden.
Illuminating our days and nights.
Each companion lit our path.
Nurturing us completely,
Delicately we stored the memories and
Silently we savoured the moments.
Feeling bereft after years of solidarity.
Reality revealed in all its cruelty.
Ice-cold fingers encircle our hearts.
Energy is diminished,
Negated when our companion dies.
Deeply we experience the loss
Sensations we can hardly define.
Friends will remain with us, regardless.
Rooting us to our place in the world.
Irreplaceable, they radiate like stars.
Everlasting, vibrant and precious.
Near to us, but yet distant too.
Daily thoughts will sustain us,
Sealed with permanent resonance.
