Ten thousand days
Bounteous moments forever faded
Since he first enlightened this lyricist
Guiding my vestal quill.
Through undiscovered lands
With the poise of Gandalf
Proffering measured response to arouse one more query.
The old man stands bent at the waist
The autumn of his life declared by the deep lines upon his face.
His hands unable to conceal a never-ending tremble.
To my youth-filled gaze, he has always seemed ancient
Silver hair with amber tips
Bespectacled eyes behind thick glass
A wooden cane forever choked by his knotted grip.
The morning sun greets our kinship
As I guide him to our old park bench
Quietly we share the new dawn.
I speak first
As oft I do,
Nay, as I always have
I pose my question,
“Where do the tears go when they depart my eyes?”
I undertake more-
“Overpowered by emotions
I cannot disguise
The liquid crystal falls
Trampling shadow trails
Beneath my eyes
So, tell me dear sir,
Where do tears go when they depart my eyes?”
Without a word, his gaze tells all
A glimpse of sadness breaking upon his face
For he knows the reason of my query-
The Healer’s words promised no hope
The cancerous centaur
Mocking their toxic elixir
Spreads venomous tentacles throughout my body
Tendering deadly kisses.
It seems my time here, is nearing the end.
My old friend speaks his reply with an ancient whisper
His slithering smile slowly revealed
He speaks as a teacher
A prophet
A friend
“A Cimmerian Shadow
Impossible to flee
Belongs to the Darkness we dare not see.
Listen closely faithful child-
Your wandering tears are not forsaken
For you my young friend
Cradled in Faith-
A promise of Truth
A vow of Hope
Older than time
Born on the Eve of the Beginning
Destined to awaken.
You have nothing to fear
Soon you will stand in a place prepared for you
There you will see His glorious truth-
Tears never die or fade away
They turn to mist
To be used another day”
“A fathomable grace-
He commands every tear that dares to fall
Stretching out His hand
He gently wipes them all.
Forever erasing our sorrow”.
“That my young friend
Is where the tears go”
