All That's Left

Out west, north of the bay
Paul Charles lies succumbing
To the light invading his body
As cancer cells proliferate
And pain mounts like unbearable heat

He’s a friend, you see,
And this is not how friends go
Agony, a maleficent companion
Children and wife at his side
Slipping into the next world
Leaving all behind

Our own bonds slipped
A quarter century ago
As our paths followed other compass points
After 5 years of evenings over wine
And dinners in the kitchen and
Laughter like good clean water

Teacher, father, husband, friend
Roles all dwindle, spin down to just this
All that binds him to this life
Threads unravel and part

Barb, Ben, Alexis
Cannot knit back what is undone
Not with tears
Nor with hope and
Not with medicine

Go in peace my friend
Release your grasp on this world
Inhale one breath here
And exhale in God’s light
As it fills you

I hear in the distance,
Over hills I've not climbed,
Bells tolling from steeples
That are gray with dust, with age,
Announcing another who has gone
To that undiscovered country.


For Paul Charles Mansine
September 17, 1954-October 12, 2006

Charles Dietzel
October 2006