Life Cycle

In the morning coffee brews
Signaling time to creep downstair
Careful not to creak the floorboards
Sipping coffee, Grandpa sits at the table
Watching the sunrise
Paint pictures of a new day
After quiet reflective moments
It’s time to bring Grandma
Her wakeup brew in bed
A daily alarm clock lovingly presented by Grandpa

In the daytime the tractor rumbles
Always content riding the machinery
Plowing fields, working the soil
Planting seeds, harvesting crops
Forever appreciating the life cycle
At home with nature and the land
New life mixed with old

In the evening the air buzzes with happiness
Dinner time with the family
Children and grandchildren laughing and joking
Gathered around the dining room table
Enjoying fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes
Tenderly prepared by Grandma
Making memories to last
The end of a perfect day for Grandpa

Early morning phone call
Brings unexpected news
A peaceful sleep turns to death
Tired bones, aching joints
Eternal rest means pain no more
No coffee in bed for Grandma today
Grandpa won’t be waking

Life and death
Beginning and ending
In the very same room