For The Dearly Departed

For The Dearly Departed-

He went quite gently in the night,
when I had thought things were all right.
I never really said goodbye,
or looked one last time in his eye.
Led to reflect on where we'd been,
things we'd done and people seen.
When people left and things had failed,
he was there to fill my sails.
Never asked to be repaid,
just that I wouldn't let him fade.
But life went on and fell apart,
consistently despite the smarts,
that led me on through murky gloom,
tested faith and spelled his doom.
I sensed his powers fade away,
upon the close of a dreadful day.
I thought him gone, what a surprise,
when from the ashes he did rise.
So all was fine, or so I felt,
but really just two steps from Hell.
Two steps on a slippery slope,
spelt the death of my friend, Hope