Book Of Counted Sorrows

To Die... To Sleep.

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my Soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake-

I pray the Lord, my Soul to take.

-Child's Prayer

You live your Life content in the thought:

That the Battle was tough; but bravely fought.

You bore the bittersweet pain of your years

And watered the graves of your children with tears.

You waded through turmoil and bliss, alike.

Never allowing your Faith to take flight.

You paid the Price of Life, and was glad;

Savoring the Good and surviving the Bad.

Knowing in the End, you'd sleep at last;

Earning the right to Heaven's repast.

But somewhere along the line, we've lost

The Truth-  which comes at dearest cost:

When- at last- your Life is fled

And you are buried amongst the Dead-

You shall not rise to Heaven's Spires.

Nor shall you burn in Hell's fierce fires.

Nor shall your Soul be given flight

To become a part of Natures might.

You shall only Sleep on the Unknown Shore,

Until you are called to Rise, once more...

And live your Life All. Over. Again.

Never remembering where you have been.

Never remembering the tears you've shed.

Only remembering the Pain, instead.

Only knowing, somewhere deep inside,

There lies a Truth you cannot hide.

Many escape this net of Despair-

Never realizing they were already here...

But for those who are caught, there can be no release.

From that Shadow of Memory-  they'll never have peace.

They'll always catch glimpses of Lives led Before;

They'll always know more of the same is in store.

And as everything done, comes back in the End-

They must always be wary to what depths they descend.

So they must live on, as they were taught-

Fighting battles they've already fought.

Shedding the tears they've shed in the Past;

Glimpsing a happiness that cannot last.

For between the two: Happiness and Pain,

The strongest of these will always remain.

You cannot escape the grooves of your Past-

The record shall play in the song it was cast.

But the Irony, is this:  At the moment of death,

When your lungs are exhaling their final breath-

You'll know that ALL is as I have said...

You'll know that 'tis only the body that's dead.

You'll know you'll be called to Rise, once more,

And Live as you have lived before...

And when you awake, you shall not know

Which way that this New Life shall go.

You may only think idly, in the lateness of night,

That you feel centuries of pain- but it cannot be right...

That your Soul feel weary, burdened and old...

That it goes against all of the stories you're told...

But as you drift off to sleep, you'll feel comfort in knowing

That all will be better and brighter, in morning.

That all of your fears were founded in doubt;

The uncertainty of which, you can do without.

Yet-

Before you commit your Soul unto sleep,

Pray to the Lord, your Soul He should keep.

And if you should Die, before you awake;

Pray unto the Lord your pain He should take.

To Die, to Sleep,

My Soul you keep-

To Die for good,

If only I could...

-My Prayer