Bitter Tears

The bitter tears I see you cry

Fill me with a dull ache

I cannot take your sorrow

When I, myself, still partake

How, my love, can I make you smile?

Or is it even right to try?

Should I instead just stay by your side?

And let your sorrow fly?

I wonder inside myself as I watch you

Is it better to hide the pain deep

Or let that dark river flow

And simply sit with you as you weep?

Distant, now, is our memory of anguish

And yet near it still remains

I wonder what goes on above

And that wonder will sustain

Heaven, sometimes, seems near to me

And I remember of your gift

As you speak to me a message of 'be happy'

As our children, our spirits they do lift

Absent in our arms and flesh they are

But absent in our hearts they are not

But still their distance can cause us pain

As we never seem to find that which we sought

God has said all things shall be for our good

But I wonder what good can come from this

When I let myself sink too deep

Into the depths of my unanswered wish

But still, our children seem to be

Nearer than we can clearly see

And though we miss them so deeply

We hope to be together completely

Then, when the last tear is shed

We can tuck them into bed

Then when answered is our prayer

We can finally brush their hair

All that we have fully lost

Will be restored to us at any cost

And they who sleep in hallowed peace

Shall from the grave find release

And every moment of our sorrow

Will be lost to a bright tomorrow

And they whom Christ has kept on our behalf

Shall be with us and we shall laugh

In the joy of that great moment

We will see we have no opponent

For death he will vanquish

And no more will we anguish

And finally, and wholly, we will be one

With our absent daughters and sons

And all that was promised, the saints shall be given

And finally, finally, we can go one living.