Beyond This Shadow Land
Beyond this shadow land
where all is fair and bright;
beyond the heavy air of earth,
her breath comes easy, with the light.
She breaths the air of spring.
There's lightness in her step
as if the nectar of our God
discovered youthfulness she's kept.
You know she'll cook and sew and sing
just like she did on earth.
You know she'll smile — her laugh will ring
the very bells of that upper berth!
Beyond this shadow land
where all is fair and light
she'll move with ease on angel's wings
and shout out her delight.
You know she's joined the family there.
You know her sweet homecoming
was what she prayed for many days.
She's met the angel's running.
By Annette Gagliardi
Published in Nature's Echoes, 1998.
This was written just after my mother, who spent years on oxygen, died of COPD.