I used to watch you from afar, a man with pole in hand
The coastline was your home sweet home, your special sacred land
Each day you fished, your heart found rest and your world became small
The little things mattered the most; you felt humbled by all
The seagulls that flew overhead caused you to dance and sing
The melodies upon the wind allowed each joke to ring
It was not just the fishing or the outdoor life you dared
It was the special memories made with those for whom you cared
Over the years, as lest we aged, our times evolved as well
The fishing poles became replaced by calls and tales to tell
Stories about respective lives over a decade plus
Entwined with quirks and jokes and such, the things that made us… us
But through it all, the gain and loss; the happy times and sad
The fact that you were in my life always made me so glad
For in great joy or times of grief, the memories held dear
Came back to life during each call and every visit here
Then, time marched on and struggles formed; good health no longer followed
And yet, despite the burdens faced, your heart could not be hollowed
You faced each challenge, best you could, as each one came your way
You fought the fight with all you had with ne’er ill words to say
And then, one day, the time had come to see your setting sun
To cast aside the pain within, your earthen journey done
‘twas on that day, I smiled through tears, knowing you’re flying free
Your spirit resting in a place we all so long to be
I used to watch you from afar, a man with pole in hand
But, o’er the years, you gave much more than I could e’er have planned
The memories we made over time will last for all my days
You’ve left behind a legacy kept in my heart, always
For o’er the years, you became more than just a man that fished
You were the best “adopted Grandpa” I could have ever wished
When I think back upon our times, I’ll view each one with love
Because I know you’re flying free across the skies above
I know you’re watching over us, an angel, free from pain
I know one day my time will pass and we will meet again
Until that day, I’ll treat the coast as my own home sweet home
The sacred land that you held dear, where fish and birds shall roam
I’ll be forever humbled by this life’s simplest treasures
I’ll joke and laugh at silly things, whate’er the lengths and measures
For it never was the fishing or the outdoor life you dared
These things shall always matter, for the many ways you cared
© 2016 – Jill Eisnaugle’s Poetry Collection
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Please accept my condolences, and thanks for sharing your heart with us here in The Den.
Barbara J. Henry
Ron