At Rest at the Break of Day

Birds singing outside the window
Inside a gentle rain of tears
They mark the silent ending
Of a pain borne many years

The sun lifts free of the horizon
It drives the shadows far away
They take nights of struggle with them
That she might rest at the break of day

'I love you, mom' I last said, kneeling
'I love you, too' came her reply
I kissed her then and straightened
And she smiled a last goodbye