I wish I'd known him
As well as you
And had the Good Times
You all had,
But let me tell you
About my brother
And the message he has for you.

Within his prickly shell,
A softness there
As sweet as marshmallo,
His inner self
Open briefly.
To bask in the Light
Of his simple Truth,
His crippled spirit,
Guiding the way,
His Light
Flickering in the dark.
You knew it couldn't last
But you wished it anyway.

Nearing the end,
His mind
Caught up on the shoals of time,
Wracked by pain
Memories of times long gone
Echoing into his future
Moment by moment
Tearing him down,
A genius with such promise
Afraid to shine
His Inner Light.

Unable to see
The brilliance of his own pallet
Wings stunted somehow...
Yet ever still the artist
He struggled to be free
Of the confines of his cocoon
His wings of imagination freed,
Could see vistas on the moon
Buildings of unique design
The soul of a true friend
Wherein he could find solace.

But like a fleeting firefly
Flickering in the night
Difficult to follow with the eye.
Fleeting here, fleeting there...
In his darkness,
Now here, then gone,
Now here, then gone,
Now here and now...finally gone.

We are now gathered together,
Together in our sorrow,
Remembering the man we knew...
Some knew him as Darrell
Some knew him as Buck
Some knew him as Uncle,
Many knew him as a good friend.

But I, his sister
Found my brother
Only towards his end.
I, just another firefly
Who flickered not in synch,
And yet the times
Our lights collided
How happy I would be.
I knew it couldn't last
But I wished it any way.

The path he walked on Earth
Was rockier than the average man,
A lonely trail it was,
It had never been easy for him.
Yet he'd give his coat to a stranger
And always lend a hand,
Still...
Love for him
Ever the resident
In a foreign land.

Until he found his Lupo
A dog unlike another,
A faithful and loyal companion
Devoted and always there,
He was always by his side
A true and steady friend,
One who never let him down
Who knew just what he thought...
No human could compare.
But the years went by
And Lupo got old
As happens to the best,
His life began to slow.
Then Lupo passed,
And the loneliness,
Became all too much,
Darrell's pain began to grow
His sorrow, like a foghorn
Blaring into the night
Warning of the rocks ahead...

Don't come too close
Don't lose your way
Don't stay too long
'Cuz he won't stay,
Will not stay too long...
His path another way,
Pining for his Lupo...
Though he remembers you well.

Yes. He remembered all his friends
All across this great big land,
He traveled to and fro
Not the easiest man to know.
Then suddenly he'd show up
Knocking on your door
Smiling like Time had never passed...
Good times you really had,
You know what times they were,
Good times you'll not forget.

But Lupo's call was strong
His bark loud and sure guiding Darrell home.
Cry not for our friend Darrell
For he really has found his peace
Leaving his world of pain,
No longer alone in his loneliness
Going home forever more.

Cry not your tears of sadness,
Grief or regret,
Just remember his goodness,
And the good times you had,
His smile, laughter and Light
And how lucky we were to know him
An artist to his final days,
And know inside your heart,
That now Everything is All Right.
For through my blurring tears,
While I'm writing down this ink,
I can see this vision clear,
Our Darrell there with Lupo,
Lou, his greatest love
Side by side
Walking in the Light,
Walking their way home.

Life is not perfection,
It's all about the flaws,
A diamond in the rough.
Saying good-bye was never easy
There's no perfect way for that.
Don't be sad he's gone
Or didn't say good-bye,
He's out of his cocoon now
Flying away...
It's perfect this way.

My Brother Darrell,
I know we'll meet again someday.
I love you Bro, my brother
I love you anyway.
We had some visits,
We had some talks
But its your Spirit that I knew,
I told you that I would pray for you...
To help you on your way.

Letting go is never easy
But letting go we must,
So this is my prayer for you,
The language lacking,
Not perfect,
A diamond in the rough.

May your Spirit be cradled
In the arms of Eternal Love,
May your Soul rest in Peace
Forevermore,
May your Spirit now be released
To the Light, To the Glory, To the Creator...
All is forgiven, all is well,
All is Love
Into the name of Jesus Our Saviour
Erasing all debt, all karma, all bonds.
You are blessed.
Fly Butterfly Fly...
Amen.

.