Funeral

I go to a funeral
a dead man
this man did not die in vain
I'm proud of him
he died to protect me
he is a soldier
one of many
i watch his family
they hold each other
the father now stands
tears in his eyes
he says
"Son, i love you"
those words
said by a father in pain
they stain my mind
I'll never forget what the old name said
"Son i love you"
i can imagine
God looking at the man
saying the same words
"Son, i love you"
the mother
now she stands
i plead with her in my mind
that the tears will stop
i want her to speak
i want to help her
but my fear gets in the way
she says, looking in the casket
"Son, i love you and always will
i watched you
i saw you change
you were a good man
and always will be
Up in heaven
you must be shaking your head
laughing at me
saying i need to stop crying
but son, i love you"
she bowed her head
and let the tears fall
she sat back down
i bowed my head
in respect
a girl
not much older than me
stands now
she swallows hard
with her shaking hands
she lifts them to touch his face
and said
"Oh! My brother,
i wish you would wake
i wish the pain would go
i wish you were holding me
oh! shall i quote King Lear?
Shall i laugh like we did
when i had to study it
and you helped
thank you, brother
i am safe, and now you are
thank you"
she bowed her head
and smiled
though the tears still fell
when she is seated
i go to the casket
and look at this loved man
i do know him
he is the one i pray about
the tears well up
he was the boy i fell in love with
those many years ago
his sister changed so much
his father and mother look so different
i fell in love with this boy
now he is a man
and gone
the tears escape my face
God sent me here for a reason
to see what happened to the man
i loved for so long
i cry out in pain
"Oh God
why him?
why the man i always knew?
why this poor man?"
i breathe and think
"oh God!
you work so many miracles
i always prayed to know
what happened to him
and now i know
he's with you
safe and loved
thank you God, thank you"
i can't help but cry
i join the family
his sister takes my hand
his mother comes
she takes me and cradles me
i cry on her shoulder
she whispers to me
"God has a plan"
those words will follow me
where ever i go
"God has a plan"

---- pray for the soldiers----