'Death, where is your victory?'
Coming home from shopping
opening the door
rapid conversation on the phone
'ambulance' .. 'serious' ..'come quickly'
my oldest son on the line -
Oh, Grandad!
My heart stretches ahead of me
trying to embrace the fleeing spirit
of the one I love.
Quickly on my bike
pedalling racing car....
Grandad is lying on his bed
his younger grandchildren at each side
holding his hands
while he wrestles
The oldest deals with the ambulance men
they take over,
put Grandad on the floor
wire him up
electric shocks to the heart
every fibre of his body trembles
as they try to jolt him back to life....
When I enter
I see the stillness
of his body
his toothless mouth open
in a bluish face of pain
straight line on the monitor.
I kneel down
and place my arms
around his head
and love him so
a last time.
I know that he beholds us still
and there is peace unearthly in the room
touching me in every part
stilling the pain
and the unspeakable terror of death.
I am ready
for the great Good-bye.
And I know
that his Creator cradles him
in His eternal arms
and cradles me with him
in this timeless moment
inside eternity
And I know
he is not lost
but only gone ahead.
Gladly then
I let him go
beyond his weakness and his pain.
Then I see him whole
with all his music and his colours
dancing for joy with his Creator.
All his tears wiped away
by his beloved Lamb..
But we
through the vale of tears and fears
still travel with our Shepherd
looking towards
the City of Promise
where he
now
IS