Melinda

She was 15 years old
an angel to look at
but she was wild as a child
there was a wildness in her eyes
like a fire in the darkness
burning bright

Burning for the morning
the birth of something new
burning for what's out there
burning for the truth
in each and every star
within the night

Angels sometimes fly away
the skylark sings alone
though the coldest night
could never be so cruel
since the night
Melinda never came home

I wonder if she's out there
blinded by the light
of the neon inner city
lost within the night
waiting for the daylight
hours to return

Or is she where we don't know
A world beyond our own
within some misty morning
cradled in the arms of god?
The ancient fires of hope
forever burn

Angels sometimes fly away
the skylark sings alone
though the coldest night
could never be so cruel
since the night
Melinda never came home

And I stare in to the night
like so many times before
sometimes I think she's out there
other times I'm not so sure

For 15 years we knew her
and watched her as she grew
for 15 years we held her
tightly as she flew
ready to protect her
should she fall

We live in fragile balance
and all we have is time
we may never know the answer
we may always wonder why
still it's better to have known her
a short time - than not at all.