Lamentation

Today Robin Williams, took his life. Last month, a young woman well loved by many left behind a loving partner and daughter, her pain too great to bear. Last year the husband of my dearest friend took his life after a long chronic condition left him with intractable pain and vomiting. I wrote this piece with the intention of setting it to music. However, I feel moved to post it here. It speaks to pain and grief of those who suffer and of those who would do anything to lift their pain from the hearts. In my life, the love of my life was caught in the trance that would have ended in suicide had she not told me her intention. It is only Grace that she is here with me today, to stand together by the waterfall.

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Sometimes you feel  like a motherless child.

So alone,  so all alone.  Wound in your soul, a black hole.

black magic, its tragic, a dark spell is cast, holding you fast.

Feeling you slide into the dark night of the soul

I stay by your side, day after day,

Your pain weighs on me like a lode stone.

All my love can’t heal your pain

Your sorrow has become my shame

My hand can’t hold your sorrow.

Your sorrow has become my shame

Your pain weighs on me like a lode stone

Here’s what I need to tell you;

I cannot take your chalice, from you.

my joy can’t fill your cup

I pray that you can give it up,

Let the wind touch your face, feel the grass where you stand

For I can never hold your sorrow in my hand

Look to the mountain high and strong; look to the valley green

And pray for the day when we will lie down by a quiet stream

Pour your pain into the river, float on the river down to the sea,

Bless you child, let the cool of the river wash your pain away,

Rolling rolling down stream to the sea.

Sweeping  the pain away,  Feeling  your pain slipping away.

Let the wind touch your face, feel the grass where you stand

For I could never hold your sorrow in my hand

Look to the river cool and clear look to the aspen tall

I Pray for the day when we will stand tall by the waterfall.

One minute of your joy will fill me up, Pour your joy into my cup,

I want to hear you laugh again,

Sing your songs of hope again, just for a few minutes each day.  

Eileen M. Jackson
8/11/2014