Ink and Ether

Dear Departed

In hollow halls, where shadows play,
A lone figure sits, in a faded day,
The old classroom, worn and gray,
Whispers secrets, of a bygone way.

Memories linger, like autumn leaves,
Of laughter, tears, and youthful eves,
The chairs, empty, yet seem to hold,
The ghosts of friends, forever told.

He gazes out, through dusty panes,
People smiling, laughing, life's sweet refrains,
A stark contrast, to the pain,
That once consumed, this very same.

The fire's scar, a haunting tale,
A tragedy, that made him prevail,
The sole survivor, of that fateful night,
A weight he carries, without end in sight.

As he rises, to depart,
He casts one final, lingering heart,
And sees them, phantoms of the past,
Smiling, looking, forever to last.

Their ethereal voices, whisper low,
"We're with you, forever, don't you know",
Their faces aglow, with peaceful cheer,
Free from pain, their spirits clear.