Know This, My Friend ~ James Kavanaugh

Know this, my friend,
I will never desert you.
I will be there when all have gone away,
When finally you have nothing more to say,
And there is no apparent reason ever for me to stay.
When all the fears of a lifetime have crowded in on you
And every particle of your past has lost all meaning,
When you cannot lift your head
or hold back the tears,
And you can no longer bear
the terror of your own ruminations,
When all your triumphs are as dust
that cannot hold you aloft,

And even the family you raised and loved
have no time for you,
I will be there
To bring you what joy and courage I can,
To remind you of all the beauty and wonder
you are,
To heal you with all the love I have,
To carry you, if need be, wherever you must go,
Only because you are my friend
And I will never desert you.