The happiest day of my life

The cold grey dawn was ornamented only with consistent muffled footsteps, The first walk I planned to do today, Like so many other people, Even when the sky is grey, “You need to wake up” A soft voice spoke through the darkness, I tried to sit up, to face the stranger, but pain swam through my back, “Grandpa” The gentle voice called, “You’re awake!” My eyes opened slowly, and I saw bright white lights, illuminating the stranger, “Who are you” I asked in frail voice, “What do you mean?” But I did not know, and I fell further into the pillows, Trees limbs loomed up towards the sun, a bed of emerald grass, swimming, A tree like so many others, so common, But I still stop to look, and gaze and wonder, With no lush leaves in the winter, and sparkling jewels in the summer, The first thing I knew was the echoing sounds, hoarse coughing, and a steady beeping, Someone shook my arm, and I tried to see to speak, But a stinging sensation took hold and all I could do was say “mmm” under my breath, “I-grandpa p-please I know you’re in pain but...” I stopped listening, All I could do was stare at darkness, cold and empty, I tried to think about my life, but I did not know it, Softly the sun rose fully over the horizon, granting a lowly light, A glowing crystal ball, And in time the moon would follow, And again, the sun would fall, When I woke again, it was abrupt, as if some force had beckoned me awake, “I’m i-in pain” I said in a broken voice, “We all are Grandpa” ‘Grandpa’ The word took me aback and I saw the world, I saw people from days past, friends, family, I saw a great house, with ivy twisting round its fences, surrounded by lush forest, And I saw a woman, dressed all in white, with a veil covering her face, and I saw her face, And I was happy, Gently the birds began their song, the robins singing, the ravens cawing, All one unwritten symphony, Playing not for show but for the smiles it gives us For the happiness it brings, All happens when the birds sing.