This Lingering Existence

Back porch swings and fading sunsets, hazy yellow nights

Back porch swings and fading sunsets, hazy yellow nights Rolling thunder and the safety of your arms as lighting lit up the sky

Back porch swings and fading sunsets, hazy yellow nights Rolling thunder and the safety of your arms as lighting lit up the sky The warmth of the quilt and your snoring till dawn

Still now I can't imagine life with you gone.

Fingers that once held my hand now shriveled and gnarled

Fingers that once held my hand now shriveled and gnarled The voice that used to echo proudly now reduced to a raspy whisper

Fingers that once held my hand now shriveled and gnarled The voice that used to echo proudly now reduced to a raspy whisper The eyes that once read books now glazed and tired

Fingers that once held my hand now shriveled and gnarled The voice that used to echo proudly now reduced to a raspy whisper The eyes that once read books now glazed and tired The feet that used to guide our dances now useless

The inseparable couple now sleeping in separate beds

The love for a prideful yet brilliant, racist yet caring old dying man

The love for a prideful yet brilliant, racist yet caring old dying man Now more vibrant and necessary than ever

Beautiful stories and lessons well learned

Beautiful stories and lessons well learned Laughter shared and tears shed

Beautiful stories and lessons well learned Laughter shared and tears shed All reduced to memories

Beautiful stories and lessons well learned Laughter shared and tears shed All reduced to memories Memories I soon will no longer be making

Not with you.

It's okay,

It's okay, You are needed elsewhere

It's okay, You are needed elsewhere A life well lived, an example well set

A bond unbreakable and a heart that won't ever forget.