Saying Goodbye

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

He stands in the doorway, head held low;
He knows he must see her, but he doesn't want to go.
He can feel the eyes of both stranger and friend,
And the waves of pity that they send.

His fingers ache to touch her alabaster face,
Framed by amber curls, not a hair out of place;
He clenches eyes shut and hopes he won't cry,
The hardest thing he's done is saying goodbye.

She doesn't look at him, and he knows she won't;
Not her fault, he thinks, with a heart bitter note.
For one last time he stands by her side;
Was not long ago that he made her his bride.

And he speaks to her now, softly and low,
"Heart of my heart, I must let you go,"
But here I have something that belongs to you.
I need to give it back and make a promise, too.

My life will go on the best that it can,
But this emptiness inside you will understand;
Your future will take you to untraveled shores,
Part of me goes with you as you pass these doors.

There'll be many a night I'll cry for your touch,
Already, my love, I miss you so much.
If just one more time, you could give me your smile,
I'd keep it close to me for a long, long while.

And they gave me your ring, thought you wouldn't mind;
I'm putting it back on your hand now, because, I find,
The vows that we made are still binding and true;
For a very long time, I will still love you."

He tenderly placed the golden ring on her hand,
And the tears began to fall from the eyes of the man.
It was time to say goodbye to his greatest dream,
Too soon, too soon....death was not in his scheme.

Death came knocking and she opened the door;
He will never hold her close anymore.
The hardest thing he's done is saying goodbye;
As the coffin lid closes, he's still asking why.