Allen, I Didn't Say Goodbye

IN LOVING MEMORY

OF ALLEN WARD

JUNE 12, 1976 - NOVEMBER 8, 1998

'HIS LOVE HAS TOUCHED US ALL'

ALLEN, I DIDN'T SAY GOODBYE

GOD SENT ME AN ANGEL ONE SUMMER DAY;
A TINY BABY BOY HAD JOINED THE FRAY.

WITH BLUE-GREY EYES AND GOLDEN HAIR,
A BEAUTIFUL SMILE AND SKIN VERY FAIR.

I WAS WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER FROM THE START
AND YOU WERE IN TURN WRAPPED AROUND MY HEART.

AMID LAUGHTER AND TEARS AND ILLNESS AND JOY,
I WATCHED YOU GROW FROM A BABY TO A BOY.

BLACK EYES AND BRUISES, YOU HAD A FEW;
OUR BACK-DOOR NEIGHBOR, JENNY, HIT YOU WITH HER SHOE.

LEGOS AND MUSIC AND PUPPET SHOWS,
BICYCLES AND SWIMMING AND SCHOOL, DON'T YOU KNOW.

YOU STAYED PRETTY SMALL, ACTIVE AND LEAN,
I THOUGHT YOU'D GO TO COLLEGE IN SIZE 6 JEANS.

THE YEARS JUST WENT BY, AN HOURGLASS OF SAND,
AND BEFORE I KNEW IT YOU WERE A YOUNG MAN.

MOTORCYCLES AND CARS AND FRIENDS WERE THE RULE,
SHOP, WRESTLING AND BAND WERE YOUR FAVORITES AT SCHOOL.

I SUFFERED WITH YOU THROUGH YOUR FIRST BROKEN HEART,
YOU WERE BOTH TOO YOUNG, YOU HAD TO PART.

YOU WERE FORGIVING, LOYAL AND TRUE,
STANDING BY FRIENDS WHO OFTEN USED YOU.

YOU WERE MY PARTNER, MY FRIEND, MY SON,
WE ARGUED, WE CRIED, BUT WE HAD LOTS OF FUN.

YOU WORKED MANY JOBS AND HELPED OUT AT HOME,
WHEN YOU WERE IN NEW MEXICO, I FELT QUITE ALONE.

IN CALIFORNIA YOU WORKED THE HIGH STEEL,
TEENAGER NO MORE......LIFE ON EVEN KEEL.

WHEN YOU MET YOUR MAGGIE, HONEY I KNEW
THAT YOU HAD FOUND THE WOMAN FOR YOU..

THE DAY YOU EXCHANGED YOUR WEDDING VOWS
YOU WERE JUST GLOWING, I CAN PICTURE IT NOW.

WHO KNEW THAT TOO SOON YOUR TIME WOULD COME
TO GO HOME TO HEAVEN WITH GOD AND HIS SON?

I REMEMBER THE LAST DAY I SAW YOU, THE MEMORY CAN MAKE ME CRY.
I HUGGED YOU AND TOLD YOU I LOVED YOU, BUT I DIDN'T SAY GOODBYE.

DO YOU KNOW HOW VERY MUCH YOU'RE MISSED?
THE TEARS WE'VE CRIED; YOUR PICTURE KISSED?

YOUR MOM, YOUR DAD, YOUR BROTHERS, YOUR WIFE;
WE'LL ALL BE MISSING YOU FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

BUT WHEN IT'S ALL OVER AND OUR TIME HAS COME,
WE'LL ALL BE TOGETHER AGAIN, MY SON.

THEN WE'LL HUG YOU AND KISS YOU AND HAVE A GOOD CRY.
'SEE YOU LATER, ALLEN' BUT NEVER GOODBYE...

I LOVE YOU, YOUR MOM
NOVEMBER 1999