IN MEMORIAM
by Tom Ramsey

In hellish grief
We scream, we plead
We curse, we howl
And we cry.

We raise our heads and arms
Skyward, to shake an angry fist at heaven
And ask the question. The one question
Whose answer surely will lift this pain.
The one question that we know will not be answered.

Why,

Why her, why now, why this way!

Why, why, why Damnit why!

And in reply we hear
A resounding and definitive silence.

We embrace, and hold each other tight
Letting the embrace endure
Fearing that if we let go we may lose yet another.
And pulling back from our embraces
We look into each other's eyes
And without an utterance
The question comes again.
Not knowing the answer we speak softly
And offer awkward slight smiles.

But in our minds,
The unrelenting question lingers

Why

We inquire of those who announce the "official work"
And flinch as the details are laid bare,

Still we dissect each word for any clue
That can lead us down the path toward our answer.
But the path leads back to itself
And once again we are left to ponder.

Why?

Exhausted in our beds we stare at the ceiling
Begging for sleep to come and release us from this day,
But still the question stands beside us scowling,
Demanding its answer.

In this deafening quiet I found my answer
In the remembrance of something whispered
To me through tears, breaking the long sniffling silence

"Life is fragile and short."

Indeed the lives of the strongest are no match
For the immutable march of time and fate.
And for those who grieve, even the longest lives
Seem tragically abridged.

Indeed, life is fragile and short,
But hope and faith and love
Are robust and eternal.

© Copyright 2001-2002 by Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum

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