Standing tall

I stand tall.
The sky opens up,
and rain begins to fall.
But I stand tall.
Friends, family, and strangers arrive.
They all fall,
all while I stand tall.
A mother and three sisters, all left heart broken.
I watch as they fall.
Myself, however, I remain standing,
tall.
Blessings are chanted,
and prayers are too.
As I watch, the people fall.
But me, I stand tall.
Ascending to the podium to share a farewell.
I quiver but for a moment and share it all.
Shaking. I won’t do it, no, I will not fall.
Here I stand, solemn and tall.
I stand tall, as a witness to it all.
Then, a shovel comes out.
Like a dagger in my heart,
I know it’s about to start.
Towards the earth a shovel plunges,
as our trust expunges.
Arriving at the dirt the shovel thrust,
with you, a friendship I entrust.
Rising from the dirt the shovel went,
and over your casket with the metal so bent.
Covering you, it was about to drop,
this can’t be happening, I need it to stop!
Maybe with you is where I belong?
all the while, I stood strong.
I can’t break now, I must not fall.
So there I stand,
tall.
That’s when it happened,
I watch the dirt fall.
A thunderous blast explodes, as it shatters my soul that’s standing so tall.
My knees begin to quiver,
like a lost child, I begin to shiver.
A sound escapes, or so I’m told,
Earth collides with casket, within it his body lies cold.

Distress, I collapse,
thats when I fall.
Broken forever,
I no longer stand tall.
From the depth I cry when I suddenly recall
the days when I was nothing but weak and small.
Arising, I stand strong, remembering it all.
You were the one who showed me how to stand tall.
