Sanctuary Love

 

Foundation.

If you're a couple, have you discussed the thought of what you'd do if one of you crossed over first?

Sanctuary Love

(A lone voice whispers)

When I sometimes sit quietly still and remember 

What I once said in all that plummeting snow and rain 

Stuck in such terrible weather on that extraordinary day

In that unusually brutal winter season

Way back in late November

Thirteen years ago in two thousand and eight

I whispered that if anything takes place in this lifetime 

Between you and me, and we tragically lose our way

While we're still both alive and joined at the hip

If the Tall Man should arrive and take one of us home 

Suddenly, without any regal announcements or real reasons 

Let's pledge a sacred oath to each other 

That we'll wait wherever we are

Forever empowered by a god-given hope

To keep believing that the other will catch up 

No matter how long it takes 

Or even if they have to travel so far 

To beyond even all the known watching stars

Filled with the steadfast courage

That no matter how many strange doors 

They might have to knock on to open

Or to put their gilded keys in

They'll try to find a way we can embrace and hold hands again

For ours is something so unique

A once in a million lifetime of being constantly reborn 

Whatever the circumstance

To eventually realise that the true meaning of life 

A life-changing revelation beyond the norm if one dares to take a chance 

Lies in the soft arms of something so unique

Many wise prophets still call it by its favourite ancient and well-spoken name 

Even today, known as simply true romance 

I once swore 

I'd never leave your side and you swore even upon death

You'd never leave mine

And we dreamed as we walked and talked

About how someday in the near future

We'd sit outside on our own marble porch 

And in the fall of the Twilight 

Smile as we counted our blessings

Before we retired for an early night 

In our own paid-for house filled with love and our two beloved children

But like most of the preordained lovers in history

Our dream ended up so differently, and I feel so neglected 

When your rare blue and purple butterfly was collected 

Wait for me, my love

I won't be long 

(C) Copyright John Duffy 

Image shared under fair usage policy.