He left
to a somber service
as we lowered him
and spoke choice words
and spent choice tears
while questions arose
as to his next destination
and how much you would miss him
and how much I would miss him,
raising queries in my own mind
of whether the tears for me
could ever equal
or if you'd be there,
or if it would be
my task to lay you down first
before I would be allowed to go -
but then these questions
and more became mist on a lake,
as I lost sight of the shore.