Your Predeparture Address by William Kearsley

One final request.

Just be careful,

as you step onto

the path out of this world.

The life held in this sphere

Will always persist

But it won’t blossom

As it did while you were here.

And so I promise you,

I promise you

that you won’t be forgotten

that you’ll have a bright gold plaque in this world’s core.

I promise you.

I promise you

that you’re welcome here

whenever you regret staring too far forward.

I promise you.

I promise you

that you can keep the eyes that live in the back of your head

and that you can walk forward while admiring what’s behind you.

I promise you.

I promise you

that the candle lit in your honor won’t ever go out

and that it’ll burn eternally to remind us of what you built here.

I promise you.

And I swear on everything and anything that could possibly watch over us,

that when it’s finally my time to walk forward,

I’ll tell the youngest version of me

to keep that candle lit.

Through it all.

However reluctant I may be,

I will stand by the side of the bridge

when you cross.

I’ll hug you one last time

before we whisper goodbye

and you melt into a future life.