(From Suzanne: A special day today — a “two-fer”!)

Sing like the birds
Write down our words
Carry away your worries and your cares
Relax a while
Sit and smile
Always troubled are you all
By worries big and small

Things of matter top the list
You get the gist
Cares and strains
Aches and pains
Last not long
Are temporary stains
Little to gain.

Fix your eyes
Upon the skies
There you’ll find
Peace of mind

Four score and more
A mighty age
Sets the stage
For more to come
When day is done

You’ll carry on
Tarry not
Til all this life
Is long forgot

Rest your weary souls
Know that you are whole
Beyond the body
Comes a life
Free of strife

It waits for all
Who get the call
To cross to finer pastures
Greener than the eyes have seen
In the spaces in between

Met by loved ones who’ve been waiting
Anticipating
Your arrival
There to greet you
Meet you
With smiles and love
Give you hugs
With holy arms
And all the charms
Of life beyond the veil
This new life you’ll hail
When it’s your time
Step in line
None will fail to reach it

(At this point I felt the now-familiar feeling that the poem had come to an end. I lay down my pen, but kept my eyes closed, hoping to simply enjoy the presence of the spirits. After a minute or so, my right index finger began to twitch again, the signal I have come to learn is their sign to me that they want me to write. Another poem? Two in one day? They had me in tears by the end when I realized what was happening, because yes, today is my birthday, and I certainly wouldn’t have written a poem to myself … )

We celebrate your birth this day
In a very special way
Greetings from the world of spirit
Singing softly, can you hear it?
Voices chant together

Happy are we
To see you smile a while
And be free
Of cares and worries
Celebrate! Have fun!
The day has just begun
A day to know you’re loved
Here and up above

That’s all.
Have a ball.
We know you’ve lots to do
For now, adieu
And happy birthday to you.

(Wow! … What a gift!)