When giants fall
the earth stills
Silence
waves toward the horizons
pushing trees
Flowers bow
and large bodies of water hum
It is just a matter of time
For all things
Even the greatest among us
is merely passing through
Greatness
fills the lungs of some
Keeps them afloat above our heads
As they lift our legs
and arms and spirits
Help us to survive the lower life
here
closer to the ground
When giants fall among us
Their breezes carry us
Their prayers
set us down gently
in open spaces
full of grace
where we inherit their strength
and creativity
Absorb their intentions
Put on their hands
When greatness breathes
the final breath
Flattens and falls mortal
around our feet
Our tears fall
from uplifted faces
elevated hearts
and clearer minds
We release
in whispers, murmurs, cries
that shake our shoulders
and remember that
we are giants too
We
are
giants
too
That
is the honor and farewell
That we learn and grow and challenge and conquer
because we walked beneath those giants
whose words and work and dance and song
and music and care and love
and sacrifice
carried us apace in giant footsteps
Hoping that we were clinging to their
ankles, hips, shirttails, shoulders
Knowing
that when they walked
we could fly