Breathe Easy Now

Trav’ling the miles
To his bedside I fled
This is it, the end, they said

He knew who I was
Knew why I was there
“Ah, daughter”, he said, “I’m glad you are here”

I kissed his cheek, held his hand,
Stroking softly and asked
Are you comfortable, Dad?

His systems were weary
Closing down slow and sure
The wait over, his tired heart pure...

Would beat ‘til the last
Final breath he would take,
An exhale, the release, no more to ache

But still his bright blue eyes
Belied the state of his frame,
Smiling at me with loving sighs

And two more days, this went anon
He fighting to remain
We with quiet restrain

Telling him it’s okay, okay to let go
Still holding his hand,
Yet all of us know

The solemn song on my lips
Came forth without thinking,
Kyrie, Kyrie Eleison I was quietly singing,

From his sisters afar,
A request for a fav’rite,
Somewhere, Over the Rainbow ... I could barely do it...

I left the room for a while
To sit with his wife
We sat in harmony, relating his life

And when I went back
I found his head turned to one side,
Eyes closed, mouth open wide

He took that last breath, the last beat of his heart,
While I was away,
As though he’d been waiting for me to depart

He found sweet release
And I’d like to believe
He became a true lightness, and with it, came peace.

William Richard Braun
March 24, 1939 to January 24, 2009

Kira Braun