Sooner Than Planned

Forever and a day, but I’ll see you soon
Yes I’ll see you soon, much sooner than planned
You’re gone and I’m sad, I’m sad and I’m mad
Lost in a time where I felt complete

I comprehend no more than I did on that day
I think of nothing else and it’s eating me away
The days into weeks, the weeks into months
The pain remains constant, but the memories do fade

It feels not right to be here alone
This place we made together our home
But at this moment it matters so little
Life alone has never felt so lonely

I’m lost to the world as much as you are to me
Your smile is what I soon hope to see
So I prepare for our reunion up in the sky
What waits for me far outweighs what I’ll leave behind

This poem was based loosely on my grandfather. He took care of my grandmother for years when she couldn’t take care of herself. She died in March of my senior year of college. Two months later, he was at my college graduation. My extended family was celebrating at a nice dinner after the ceremony. Everyone was laughing and rejoicing in my accomplishment, as was he. But then he completely broke down in front of everyone. He was so sad that my grandma couldn’t be there with him on this special day. It put so much into perspective, including the near 60 years that they spent married. He lived for another 12 years after she passed, including eight or nine years after I wrote this poem. They mostly were great years for him, and I grew even closer to him after her passing. I called him every Sunday night for more than a year. I knew that this was a void in his life that would continue until he reunited with my grandma in heaven.

Written in 2003

Copyright, The Poetry of Bryan Buser