For my father, Michael Guy, 84 (b. August 5, 1918), who died at 6:29am, February 4, 2003. Composed from 5:30am to 6:29am Feb. 7, 2003 from a dreamed melody

Gone [Every Ending is Just a New Beginning]


Through the long, cold night your heart beat on -
At first light, with just a hint of eastern blue;
There was nothing any of us could do.
Because of love and the will to fight on;
But in the morning, I heard at 6:29, you were finally gone.

1. I left the night before, in a scattering of rain
on my windshield, and thought how you fought the pain.
A heavy sea fog blew in around the lamp light,
Perhaps this was your last fight.
Through the cold winter night,
Your heart beat on, you’re breathing in and out
To the rhythm of a lingering fight.

2. I awoke at first light, (in the East a hint of blue)
There was nothing more any of us could do.
Your last words had been to call,
A farewell to your 'sweetie' on my mother's name,
(Her name was 'Beattie')
All the pleading and the questions why,
But of all people, you who wrote should know:
'There's No Saying Goodbye'

Chorus 1:
Through my window crack, I heard birds singing,
[Perhaps just a hint that spring was near?]
My eyes dimmed with a tear, though I didn't yet know -
My head on the pillow; the moment you had finally let go -
Was there anything last night left unsaid?
Last night I kissed you goodnight on the forehead.

3. I whispered my love in your ear,
Asking your forgiveness,
The end was near–I wasn't sure you could hear.
Your eyes half-closed, rolled to heaven,
You breathed in and out, and your heart beat on.
Hour after hour, through the cold night,
Through God's love and your own will to fight.
Were you fighting for us and your wife of 52 years?
And in the morning light, you were finally GONE.

Chorus 2:
And through my cracked window, (at the break of day)
Birds at my feeder were singing,
Like the birds of heaven, they were singing,
Every end is just a new beginning -
Dear Lord, let every ending be a new beginning
The ‘Birds of Heaven’ are singing:
Every end is just a new beginning -

Chorus 3:
Through the long, cold night your heart beat on,
And in the morning, (at 6:29) you were finally gone.
Through my window crack, I heard morning birds singing,
Like the ‘Birds of Heaven’, they were singing:
Every ending is just a new beginning


c. 2003 michael a. guy, 2/7/03