A Prayer For The Dead

In honor of all who have fallen because of Coronavirus 19, my friend, H. Byron Ballard wrote this prayer for them. I want to share it with all of you.

A Prayer for the Dead

You have come to the end of this pathway In a journey to which we bear witness. You have come to the end of a pathway That is barred with a gate and a door. May this door open swiftly and silently. May this gate give you a moment’s grace In which to rest your spirit before you venture through. We stand here with you, as your companions, As your family, for you are beloved. But, for now, we must remain here. We can not go with you to this old land. Not yet. For you will see the Ancestors. You will see the Beloved Dead. You will walk among the Divine Beings That guide and nurture us all. You go to dwell in the lands Of summer and of apples where we dance forever youthful, forever free. We can hear the music in the mist The drums that echo our sad hearts. We can see your bright eyes and your smile. And so we open the gate. We push back the door. We hold the gate open. We glance through the doorway, And with love and grief and wonder We watch you walk through. Hail the Traveler! All those remembered in love, in honor, Live on. Farewell, o best loved, O fairest, Farewell.

- H. Byron Ballard (2020)