To the Ones Who Slipped Away

Here’s to the ones who I loved, the ones I held tight,
And slipped away into the fading light.
The ones who are gone, for God said they couldn’t stay,
Leaving a silence where laughter once held sway.
They are gone, yes, but never forgotten, this much is true,
Their spirits walk softly in all that I do.
Memories of them will stay with me until my last breath,
A quiet, brave shield against the shadow of death.
The echoes of humor, the glances, the grace,
Inside jokes with no one else I can share in this place.
A phrase understood, a knowing, bright smile,
Now kept like a treasure for just a little while.
And even though sorrow may linger and cling,
A deep, hollow ache that my heart aches to sing,
I am sad, it is true, but I will not despair,
A promise of reunion dispels all the care.
Because one day together, in glory and light,
We will share again, where every tear takes its flight.
In God’s kingdom of peace, where forever is found,
My loved ones and I will stand on hallowed ground.