In Memory of Jared Gardner

I haven't shared any of my writing on here in awhile, but I recently wrote a poem for my creative writing class that I thought I'd post. If you've been following my blog, you know that one of my best friends, Jared Gardner, drowned about 5 months ago. If you haven't, you can find my post on grief here. This poem is about losing him, and I hope that it provides comfort and peace to anyone who has lost a loved one. I know it helped me to untangle my own grief. Thank you for reading!

Jared

Though no space in my mind does occupy

Our meeting on an unknown season’s day

Still our friendship is rooted deep

Branded on both my heart and soul 

The two rivers of our lives flowed

Into one sea filled with you and me

Memories polished smooth with frequent thought

Sink as stones to the bottom of our sea

Wherein they lie as the foundation 

Upon which we build connection 

Goodbyes were said one day as any other time

Yet like as in summer, sudden storm clouds came

My eyes fell upon the piercing words and 

Tears like raindrops fell on trembling cheeks

Into a river swift Jared had been swept away

Pricks of pain did break the surface of our sea 

From crystal clear to muddy gray did the water change

As waiting agony swirled within

Under boulders was his body found

He no longer swam the river of life 

The waters of our sea did recede

And left the shores bare brown

My lonely river did retreat without 

The echoes of life’s skipping stones

My broken heart drowned in the river

The one unanswered question why

Never hear the laughter bubble up

Never see the ripples ebb and flow

‘Til one day we stand on golden ground

And see the Captain of our sea

Doubts and pain and fears awash

Yet peace attendeth my way

As slowly my river winds

Around the curves and bends

The stones still rest with me

And Jared always will I see