Perfect Start from Great Finish

 The coffee machine hums its old refrain,

A comfort in the morning light, and then the pain

Of words I've practiced, quiet, on my tongue,

"It's time for something new," the hopeful song I've sung.

I see their faces, a sudden, softened hue,

A shared goodbye in eyes of brown and blue.

The easy laughter falters, then falls still,

A silent moment on this ordinary hill.

They speak of projects we had yet to start,

Of inside jokes that feel now set apart.

They say my name and linger on the sound,

As if the leaving pulls up sacred ground.

Their hands reach out, a pat upon my back,

A gentle sadness, like a coming lack.

"We'll miss you here," they say with heavy grace,

And "It won't be the same," around this place.

But even as the sorrow hangs so near,

A different feeling conquers every fear.

A new horizon calls, a vibrant, burning gleam,

The final chapter of a waking dream.

I hug them tight, each one, and promise more,

To stay in touch, to knock upon their door.

And though I'm leaving, with a heavy heart,

I know this new beginning is the perfect start.

For Cancer: I Hate You

 The hospital hall, a sterile, hollow hum,

Where time is measured by the falling crumbs

Of shared last meals, and whispers soft and low,

The words we needed but could never know.

We watched you shrink, the vibrant light you were,

As shadows grew and held you in their blur.

The fierce, bright laughter, now a fragile sigh,

A quiet echo underneath the sky.

We held your hand, a map of worn-out years,

And tried to soothe away the rising fears.

We promised stories, futures, moments bright,

To pull you from the slow and creeping night.

But some wars end with silence, not with shouts,

And love becomes a harbor in our doubts.

We close our eyes and see your youthful face,

Before the thief had stolen all your grace.

Now every memory is stained with gray,

The ache of you who had to go away.

A silent phone, a vacant chair you'd keep,

A love so deep it makes the mountains weep.

We live our lives and try to find a way

To honor you in every passing day.

But a part of us is gone, and nothing's quite the same,

Since cancer came and whispered out your name.

Sonnet of Goodbyes

 This last appointment, with its gentle grace,

The charts are closed, the final words are said.

I see the health restored upon each face,

The future bright where once was only dread.

The trust you placed in me, a sacred bond,

I carry with me, sealed within my heart.

And know that when I'm gone and far beyond,

Your care will never falter or depart.

I leave you now with hands both kind and true,

A capable and steady, skillful team.

They'll guide you safely on this journey through,

And make your health their ever-present theme.

So go on now, with strength and peace of mind,

And leave the worries of the past behind.

A Journey Forward

 The boat is tied, a sturdy rope, 

To shores of comfort, a gentle slope. 

The sun is warm, the harbor still, 

A peaceful ache, a whispered thrill. 

My friends all wave, a steady line, 

"Go chase the stars, the sky is thine." 

Their voices strong, a hopeful sound, 

"You'll find your footing on new ground."

But I can feel the current tug, 

A nervous knot, a heavy shrug. 

The water's deep, the sky so wide, 

I've never sailed without a guide. 

The familiar scent of earth and pine, 

A sweet reminder of what's mine. 

The easy laugh, the well-known face, 

A gentle and a slowing pace.

Yet something calls beyond the mist, 

A future only I have kissed. 

A distant gleam, a faint new song, 

A place where I have always belonged. 

I take a breath, I loose the line,

 And turn my back on what was mine. 

The sail unfurls, the journey starts, 

With hopeful yet nervous hearts.