art.

i was just sitting there
on our gray couch 
alone.
mom called, 
her voce soft and
stuck with static. 
"grandpa died."
i felt the air in my lungs
tight and balled up 
unravel in relief. 
"are you ok, mom?"
she recounted his 
last moments to me 
grandpa was breathing- 
each breath of air 
a countdown.
"..and he breathed out, 
a smile resting on his face"
i could hear her tears over the phone. 
and that was it. 
he left 
and met Jesus at the gates 
and so 
begins a lifetime of 
worship, joy, and 
holding 
hands with God. 
we hung up and i just sat there 
in the dark 
in the quiet 
my eyes crying
my body crying 
but my heart rejoicing 
more so than crying 

you are finally home, grandpa.
you are finally 
Home. 

grandpa Boekestein, June 1919-November 2016