“Broken Wing” by Will Reimer

Broken Wing

Often we see those with infirmity as weak,
Needing our sympathy and concern.
But do we really see what’s beneath,
Is it strength that lies beneath the infirm.

We sorrow and weep over their disease,
Not thinking what it is like to live in their skin.
Frustration and resentment sometimes creep in,
We even feel sorry that we are their kin.

But when we ponder their place in our life,
Do we see clearly what their infirmity brought?
Did we not see that in all of the distress,
The strength we shared could not have been bought?

The life that is difficult is not to be sorrowed,
But celebrated for what it brought into our world.
For they are much more than their infirmity to us,
Reaching into our soul our love was unfurled.

Do we really see the person inside,
Or do we only see what the infirmity hides?
Do we see the desires the soul lit on fire,
Or the dreams that within their heart abides?

Too often I have seen only the thing I detest,
And wonder how any spirit could do this to someone.
But then when I peal back the layers of skin,
Was it him or us that made him undone?

Fred had passion and pride,
He had love for a joke.
He wanted to sore with eagles,
And not wear his burdensome yoke.

I wonder today as we lay him to rest,
Did we really know him under his skin?
How do we mourn someone we might not have known,
Perhaps we lost out, that would be a sin.

He saw Nashville and Hawaii,
And in bowling won a trophy.
He tried snowboarding and diving,
And tried driving a car, which, well, was not holy!

We often don’t see what he did get to do,
He travelled and was able to work many years.
So today we want to see Fred for the good things in life,
If we add them all up, perhaps we shed happy tears.

So if I see the world, though his eyes not mine,
I can understand that he was perhaps luckier than most.
I see someone who loved us without a doubt,
So let’s raise our glasses, to Fred give a toast!

A bird on the wind he sores evermore,
No more broken wing to keep him on the ground.
Singing a song of freedom, he can dance on the wind,
No doubt happiness and joy he has found.

We will not regret any more his sorrow,
We will celebrate what he brought through his struggle and strife.
We will share our blessed memories of times immortal,
We will not mourn our loss, but thank god for his life!

Will Reimer
September 6, 2016