Why pretend as if you remember
A chance meeting under a waterfall in darkness,
So very long ago?
It was nothing to you then,
If not warmth and guidance,
Security and hope,
Companionship in the face of fear.

We have gone our different ways,
You and I;
I am no longer a part of your world.
You alone have forgotten goodness
And light,
And a lack of style
Annoys you;
Something that you cannot understand.
An indifference toward fashion
And wealth
Angers you,
As these represent your goals;
A lifetime of clawing and clamoring for riches,
No matter the means by which they are attained.

What is this life to you?
What will remain in the ashes left behind?
Will there be memories of kindness
And love,
Stories of when you did the right thing?
Or will there be refrains of
“Good riddance”, so sad,
By those who care enough
To revile you,
For there are few who have seen you
Nurture another;
A poignant commentary
Of a miserable life witnessed in rearview.

In denial lies strength for another,
Alone, but for the Lord of all,
Left to clamor for goodness
That might be shared with others,
A repudiation of the material world.
Nervous palms push back against the rock,
As every careful step is checked,
The mist can be felt in the darkness,
And you know that you are alone.
A whispered prayer leaves lips in the shadows,
Trusted guide through a life well-lived,
Remember your beginning,
As you imagine your end,
But there is yet time,
Perhaps,
For you to see.