No Given Day

On no given day will we come to mourn.
From this book, they’ve never torn
     away the darkened hues of grief
               imbued upon life’s jagged reef—

That strikes their hull and sinks the lot
     and erases shades their mind forgot.

On no given day will they say goodbye,
     and in some ways, they’ll never die,
               they’ll never leave, they’ll never cry, 
                         they’ll never breathe, they’ll never sigh.

So, from this book, they’ll always live, 
     always love, and always give.
We’ll leave the immortal roles behind
     back in the recesses of our minds,
               back at sea, in fields and impervious towers.
We’ll see it all as never ours. 

We know we can’t contrast and compare
     for what isn’t ours isn’t theirs
               and whatever cross may come to bear,
                         the greatest pains are always shared.