Yahrzeit

Tonight we light the candles,
Honoring the dead.
In many cases, I sure wish
That they were here instead.

The kindling of these candles
Is a ritual I follow;
Unlike many others, this one’s
Meaningful, not hollow.

Each candle represents someone
We loved who is deceased;
And in the lighting, memories
Are dredged up and released.

It’s really an acknowledgement
That after someone’s gone,
We never will forget that life;
The memory lives on.

It’s comforting for us to think
That once our time has passed,
Somebody will remember us;
Our legacy will last.

So as I watch the candle burn,
Each flicker of its flame
Connects me to the person
Who helped form what I became.

I owe a debt to those whose branches
Share my family tree,
And hope someday that somebody
Will do the same for me.