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“ A Prayer for Letting Go”
A Rose Beyond the Wall
We seem to give them back to you, O God, who gave them to
us. Yet as you did not lose them in giving, so we do not lose
them by their return to you. For you give, not as the world gives,
O Lord. What you give, you do not take away; and what’s yours
is ours also if we belong to you.
A Rose once grew where all could see,
Sheltered beside a garden wall.
And as the days pass swiftly by,
It spread its branches straight and tall.
Help us to realize that life is eternal and love is immortal, and
death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing save the limit of
our sight.
One day, a beam of light shone through
A crevice that had opened wide.
The rose bent gently toward its warmth
Then passed beyond, to the other side…
Lift us up, O strong Son of God, that we may see further; cleanse
our eyes that we may see more clearly; draw us closer to yourself that we may know ourselves to be nearer to our loved ones
who are with you.
Now you who deeply feel its loss,
Be comforted – the rose still blooms thereIts beauty even greater now,
Nurtured by God’s own loving care.
And while you prepare a place for us, prepare us also for that
happy place, that where you are we may also be forevermore.
Amazing Grace
God Looked Around His Garden
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
God looked around His garden
and found an empty space;
He then looked down upon this earth
and saw your tired face.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
He put His arms around you
and lifted you to rest;
God’s garden must be beautiful,
He only takes the best.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain,
He knew you might never
get well upon this earth again.
And when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
He saw the road was getting rough
and the hills were hard to climb,
so He closed your weary eyelids
and whispered “Peace be thine”.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
but you never went alone,
for part of us went with you
the day God called you home.
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John 14:1-6
High Flight
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it
were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place
for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you
may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am
going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you
are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am
the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.
O, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and
Danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the
Tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds
-and done a hundred things you
have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung.
High in the sunlit silence, hovering there, I’ve
Chased the shouting wind along and
Flung my eager craft through footless Halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind swept heights with Easy grace.
Where never lark, nor even eagles flew
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand and touched the Face of God
Crossing The Bar
Dad
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea,
Hear our cries
But don’t let them stop you
from your journey
To a place where pain does not exist
and eternal happiness is yours.
Our shedding of tears is our way
of telling you we love you and that
we’ll always remember you.
You are so dear to us
For you were always there
when we needed you.
There was much that was left unsaid.
Hear our prayers
We realize it is your time to join
your loved one,
Our Father.
Dad, may you rest in peace.
Though it will be hard to let go
When they lower you down into mother earth.
We do not mean for you to stay where
Life was full of physical pain for you.
May the angels of heaven take you by the hand
and walk you through the golden gates of home.
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the
Boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of
Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
2
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Weep Not For Me
Death is Nothing at all
Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I and you are you
whatever we were to each other
that we still are
call me by my old familiar name
speak to me in the easy way
which you always used
put no difference in your tone
wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together
pray smile, think of me, pray for me
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was
Let it be spoken without effort
without the trace of a shadow in it
Life means all that it ever meant
it is the same as it ever was
there is unbroken continuity
why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you
somewhere very near
just around the corner
All is well
Weep not for me, but courage take
And love each other for my sake.
The rolling stream of life goes on
Until we meet again.
Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep
Lean On Me
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain...
When you awaken, in the morning’s hush...
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.
Lean on me when you’re weak
You have walked a million miles to reach your peak.
Rest your weary eyes and achy bones
Someone else will pick up the stones.
Never fear, you’ll always be here.
You are so lovely, sincere, kind and dear.
We will be with you there
Because we all very much love,
hope and care.
Love like yours runs so deep;
The memories will be ours forever to keep.
The loons are calling out to you to come
Go fly and be free of the pain.
There is nothing more for you to gain
We are willing to let you go.
You know we love you
With all our hearts and souls.
3
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In Flander’s Fields
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
To everything there is a season, and a
time to every purpose under the heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck
up that which is planted; a time to weep,
and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and
a time to dance; a time to get, and a
time to lose; a time to keep, and a time
to cast away; a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If you break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
The Lord’s Prayer
Lord Make Me A Channel Of Thy Peace
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,
that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong,
I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
that where there is error, I may bring truth;
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to
comfort than to be comforted;
to understand, than to be understood;
to love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.
4
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Miss Me - But Let Me Go
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
“When I come to the end of the road,
And the sun has set for me,
I want no tears or gloom-filled room
Why cry for a Soul set free?
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Miss me a little - but not too long,
And not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we all shared,
Miss me - but let me go.
For this journey we all must take,
And each must go alone,
It’s all part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road home
When you are lonely and sick of heart
See family and friends we know,
Take time to heal, tho’ we must part
Miss me - but let me go.”
The Good Shepherd
(The Twenty-third Psalm)
We Often Think Of Bygone Days
We often think of bygone days,
When we were all together,
The family chain is broken now,
But memories will live forever,
To us, she has not gone away,
Nor has she traveled far,
Just entered God’s eternal home,
And left the gate ajar.
You, Lord, are my Shepherd.
I will never be in need.
You let me rest in field’s of green grass.
You lead me to streams of peaceful water,
And You refresh my life.
You are True to Your Name,
And You lead me along the right paths.
I may walk through valleys as dark as death,
But I won’t be afraid.
You are with me
And Your Shepherd’s Rod
Makes me feel safe.
You treat me to a feast,
While my enemies watch.
You honour me as Your guest,
And You fill my cup until it overflows.
Your Kindness and Love will always be with me
Each day of my life,
And I will live forever in Your House Lord.
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God Saw You Getting Tired
Footprints
God saw you getting tired
And the cure was not to be;
So He wrapped you in His loving arms
And whispered, “Come with Me”.
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:
“LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me.”
The LORD replied:
“My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.”
You suffered much in silence,
Your spirit did not bend;
You faced your pain with courage
Until the very end.
You tried so hard to stay with us,
Your fight was all in vain;
God took you in His loving arms
And saved you from all pain.
The Master’s Bouquet
We Watched You Suffer
The Master walked in His garden,
Plucking flowers along the way;
He plucked one of my loved ones,
To add to His Bouquet,
My heart at first was broken,
At the loss of one so dear;
But the tears I shed just washed my eyes,
So I saw His way more clear.
My Lord has a need for just this one,
For the pattern He has in mind;
But it’s hard for the rest of us to see
Why we must be left behind.
Perhaps we are not ready to go just yet
We may need to ripen more
To reach the full blown fragrance
My Lord is waiting for.
To each give forth a fragrance
To each we chance to meet
We should each be trying day by day
To make our fragrance sweet.
So I’m going to try my best
To be loving and kind each day,
So at last I’ll be counted worthy
To be part of my Master’s Bouquet.
We watched you suffer,
We watched you sigh.
But all we could do,
Was just stand by.
When the time came,
We suffered too.
For you never deserved
What you went through.
God took your hand,
And we had to part.
He eased your pain,
But broke our hearts.
If you could have spoken,
Before you died,
These are the words
You would have replied.
This life for me,
Has truly passed.
I have loved you all,
To the very last.
Weep not for me,
But courage take.
And love one another,
For my sake.
6
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Yesterday
When I Must Leave You
When I must leave you
for a little while,
Please do not grieve
and shed wild tears
And hug your sorrow
to you through the years,
But start out bravely
with a gallant smile.
And for my sake
and in my name
Live on and do
all things the same;
Feed not your loneliness
on empty days,
But fill each waking hour
in useful ways,
Reach out your hand
in comfort and in cheer
And I in turn will comfort you
and hold you near;
And never, never
be afraid to die,
For I am waiting
for you in the sky!
Where have you gone since yesterdayAnd left us lonely here?
Today you seem so far away
Who yesterday was near.
No map of ours, that we may use,
Your journey can we trace;
We only know you’ve reached your Home
And seen your Father’s Face.
I Said A Prayer For You Today
In Tears We Saw You Sinking
I said a prayer for you today
And know God must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart
Although he spoke no word!
In tears we saw you sinking,
We watched you fade away.
You suffered much in silence,
You fought so hard to stay.
You faced your task with courage.
Your spirit did not bend,
But still you kept on fighting
until the very end.
God saw you getting tired.
When a cure was not to be.
So he put His arms around you
and whispered “come with me”.
So when I saw you sleeping
So peacefully, free from pain.
I could not wish you back
to suffer that again.
I didn’t ask for wealth or fame
(I knew you wouldn’t mind).
I asked him to send treasures
Of a far more lasting kind!
I asked that He’d be near you
At the start of each new day;
To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share your way!
I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small.
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all!
7
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I’M FREE
The 23rd Psalm
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard Him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I found that peace at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared a laugh, a kiss;
Ah yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times,
a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’ sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine
enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over. Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
Treasured Seasons
To Dad
For everything there is an appointed season.
And a time for everything under Heaven...
A time for sowing, a time for reaping;
A time for sharing, a time for caring;
A time for loving, a time for giving;
A time for remembering, a time for parting.
You have made everything beautiful in its time;
For everything You do remains forever.
There’s an open gate at the end of the road
Through which each must go alone,
And there is a light we cannot see
Our Father claims His own;
Beyond the gate your loved one
Finds happiness and rest.
And there is comfort in the thought
That a loving God knows best.
How fortunate you were our father,
Your inspiration and guidance
Will always be with us.
You taught us right from wrong
And how to enjoy everyday
To its fullest.
You worked so hard to
Clothe and feed us,
Asking so very little in return,
You always had that special joke that
Always touched our hearts.
We will truly miss you dad.
Thank you so much for all
The wonderful memories.
May God care for you
As you did for us.
Again thanks.
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To Mom
Lent For A While
How very, very lucky we were
That you were our Mother.
You opened our minds and our hearts.
You always had the time
To tell us a story or sing us a song.
You always picked us up
When we fell down.
You will always be the most
Important lady in our lives.
Your love and guidance will always be with us.
We wish you could have been
With us longer, but we are so
Grateful for the time we had.
All of us, your friends and family
Will truly miss you.
Thank you so much
For being our mother.
May God care for you
As you did for us.
“I’ll lend you for a little while a child of Mine,”He said,
“for you to love the while he lives,
and mourn for when he is dead,
It may be six or seven years, or twenty-three or three,
but will you ‘till I call him back,
take care of him for Me?
He will bring his charms to gladden you,
and should his stay be brief,
you’ll have his loving memories as solace for your grief.
I can not promise he will stay since all things from earth return,
but there are lessons down there I will this child to learn.
I’ve looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true,
and from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
nor think the labour vain,
Nor hate Me when I come to call to take him back again.
I fancied that I heard them say,
“Dear Lord, Thy will be done,
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
the risk of grief will run. We’ll shelter him with tenderness,
we’ll love him while we may,
and for the happiness we’ve known,
forever grateful stay,
And should the Angels call for him
much sooner than we’ve planned,
we’ll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.”
She is Gone
A Parable of Immortality
You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and
go on.
“I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her
white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch
until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the
sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, “There she goes!”
Gone where? Gone from my sight … that is all. She is just as
large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of
destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at
the moment when someone at my side says, “There she goes!
there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”
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Oração de S.Francisco
Anima Christi
Senhor, fazei de min um instrumento da Vossa Paz;
Onde houver ódio, que eu leve o Amor;
Onde houver ofensa, que eu leve o Perdão;
Onde houver discórdia, que eu leve a União;
Onde houver dúvida, que eu leve a Fé
Onde houver erro, que eu leve a Verdade;
Onde houver desespero, que eu leve a Esperança;
Onde houver tristeza, que eu leve a Alegria;
Onde houver trevas, que eu leve a Luz.
Alma de Cristo, santificai-me.
Corpo de Cristo, salvai-me.
Sangue de Cristo, inebriai-me.
Água do lado de Cristo, lavai-me.
Paixão de Cristo, confortai-me.
Ó bom Jesus, ouvi-me.
Dentro de Vossas chagas, escondei-me.
Não permitais que me separe de Vós.
Do espírito maligno, defendei-me.
Na hora da minha morte, chamai-me.
E mandai-me ir para Vós, para que Vos louve
com os vossos Santos, por todos os séculos dos séculos.
Senhor fazei que eu procure mais,
consolar que ser consolado,
compreender que ser compreendido,
amar que ser amado.
Amém.
Pois é dando que se recebe,
é perdoando que se é perdoado,
e é morrendo que se ressuscite
para a Vida Eterna!
SE ME AMAS, NÃO CHORES
Não Chorai Por Mim
Se conhecesses o mistério imenso
Do céu onde agora vivo,
Este horizonte sem fim,
Esta luz que tudo veste e penetra,
Não chorarias, se me amas !
Estou já absolvido no encanto de Deus,
Na sua infindável beleza.
Permanece em mim o seu amor.
Uma enorme ternura,
Que nem tu consegues imaginar.
Vivo uma alegria puríssima.
Nas angústias do tempo,
Pensa nessa casa onde, um dia,
Estaremos reunidos para além da morte,
Matando a sede na fonte inesgotável
De alegria e do amor infinito.
Não chores, se verdadeiramente me amas!
Não chorai por mim
Eu já parei de sofrer
Minha vida chegou ao fim
Eu já acabei de viver.
Triste vida de tormentos
Minha missão está cumprida
Foi com dores e sofrimentos
Que acabei os fins da vida.
Adeus ó mundo de enganos
Já me despediu de ti
Obrigado pelos anos
Mundo que em ti vivi.
Já tive o meu julgamento
Deus me dê a salvação
Nós se hão-de ver novamento
No dia da ressurreição.
Hoje no céu estou a viver
Porque chegou ao meu dia
Meu corpo vai permanecer
Amanhã p’ra terra fria.
(Santo Agostinho)
M.DaSilva
10
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Tão Depressa Me Acabei (Pai)
Tão Depressa Me Acabei (Mãe)
Tão depressa me fui embora
Tão depressa me acabei
Vossos corações estão agora
Pretos como eu os deixei.
Tão depressa me fui embora
Tão depressa me acabei
Vossos corações estão agora
Pretos como eu os deixei.
Fui a luz da tua graça
Fui o pai dos filhos teus
Que tudo quanto se faça
Seja à vontade de Deus.
Fui a luz da tua graça
Fui a mãe dos filhos teus
Que tudo quanto se faça
Seja à vontade de Deus.
É triste novo deixar
O alcanço da nossa vida
É triste novo chegar
Ao momento da partida.
É triste novo deixar
O alcanço da nossa vida
É triste novo chegar
Ao momento da partida.
Deus obrigado pela vida
Que me deste para eu viver
Tua chamada é uma ida
Quem parte a tem que fazer.
Deus obrigado pela vida
Que me deste para eu viver
Tua chamada é uma ida
Quem parte a tem que fazer.
Muito agradece ao santo pai
De abrir a porta para eu entrar
Minha alma agora vai
Para a vida eterna descansar.
Muito agradece ao santo pai
De abrir a porta para eu entrar
Minha alma agora vai
Para a vida eterna descansar.
M.DaSilva
M.DaSilva
Despedida Triste
Assim Se Acaba
Adeus minha esposa querida
Deus levou o que eu mais preciso
Deus te levou desta vida
Te levou para o paraiso.
Adeus meu querido esposo
Partiste cá deixaste os teus
Foste honrado e respeitoso
Respeitando as leis de Deus.
Nossa mãe te foste embora
Nos deixaste na mocidade
Tua alma descance agora
Na glória da eternidada.
Adeus pai trabalhador
Deus no céu esteja convosco
Partiste levaste o nosso amor
O teu amoro ficou connosco.
Adeus avó que nos deixaste
Deus te deia a salvação
Os teus netinhos as levaste
Dentro do teu coração.
Avô quando nos dizias
Que os teus netinhos amavas
As anedotas que sabias
Aos teus netinhos contavas.
É triste esta vida passageira
Nós não pedimos p’ra vir
É sofrer a vida inteira
Um dia ter que partir.
No dia que te foste embora
Partiste os nossos corações
Dentro de nós existe agora
De ti milhares da recordações.
No céu tua alma descansa
Viverás em nossa memória
Feliz quem nesta vida alcança
Um lugar no reino da glória.
Hoje que Deus no céu te veja
Com sua claridade
Tua alma agora esteja
No descance na eternidade.
M.DaSilva
M.DaSilva
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Trinity Funeral Home
www.trinityfuneralhome.ca
Remember
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann’d:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
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