I know you are here to eulogize
Since you are too late to apologize
For all the times you did not hear
His silent pleas for help, that were loud and clear
In retrospect- twenty-twenty is hindsight
You did not realize he was losing the fight
To live- in the midst of unprecedented stress
Of these times, when he spoke of his distress
You tried to dismiss his concerns, steer away
From the topic, saying that times were bad anyway
You did not know that when he agreed with you
He bottled up his sadness, his frustrations too
When he said he was sad, you actually thought
Anecdotes forwarded would cheer him, did you not?
When he talked of endings in roundabout ways
You declared everyone was talking about it these days..
He looked odd on facetime, but you did not know
That depression had made his eyes lose the glow
When he said he was lonely you commiserated
How the quarantine was leaving you exasperated
You completely forgot that such things he had said
Even earlier, before the pandemic spread
Thinking back the signs you clearly see
He just seemed distant, never present fully..
**
You are trying your best to do what you can
No words can bring back to life that man
You thought you could deliver a lasting tribute
To your departed friend, list each positive attribute
But words fail you, barely a word you manage to say
When a deluge of tears comes blocking your way
This time your living friends surround you
You look them in the eye, this you must learn to do
To check on each one, find how they are feeling
Discover if under anxiety and depression they are reeling
You promise you would try to lend a non-judgmental ear
To each and everyone you hold near and dear
You hope, there will be no more eulogies
You hope, there will be no more apologies…
Passion...unbridled 