The Summer Was Bright

The Summer Was Bright

(for my friend K.R. on the 10th anniversary of the death of her son)

(“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.’” Revelation 21:3)

The summer was bright and full of the sky,
The day was quiet, dogs barked and robins reply,
Another long afternoon in the northern plains,
A summer without questions or answers or why,
A morning without answers to the evenings pain.

Where have you gone, my sweet young son,
Why did you leave so suddenly?
What were you thinking, my darling one,
when you waved goodbye silently?

Why did the trees, my eyes still weep,
drop all their leaves so suddenly?
What was the meaning, my sweet young son,
when you left us so violently?

Where are the years, the ones you missed,
why did you leave me to count them?
Who would you marry, the wedding’s kiss,
What smile for your bride, the prayer’s amen?

Where are the dreams, my sweet young son,
Did you leave them reluctantly?
Why do you sit on the porch with me
when I know that you’re gone, gone so long.

The summer was bright and full of sky,
The day was quiet, dogs barked and robins replied,
Another long afternoon in the northern plains,
A summer without questions or answer or why,
A morning without answer to the evenings pain.

It was a day, just like today, like every other summer,
Ten years or twenty, the sun and moon remain,
And I would give my heart, my soul, anything,
To have you home again.
Then comes the day, unlike today, like every perfect summer,
ten years or thousands, the faith and hope remain,
That I will see you, my heart my soul, sweet young son,
Forever home again.