The old man
rose from his chair,
And opened the door.
He peered out into the night
As he often had done before!
He knew that he had once again
Heard the familiar sound,
Of "the Rider's pale horse,"
As its hoof beats jarred the ground.
As he slowly closed the door,
And put another log on the fire,
His mind went back to another day,
As the fire danced higher!
He knew why "the visitor" was comin',
And he vividly remembered his name!
"The visitor" had been an intruder,
The first two times he came.
In memory he saw his firstborn son,
Who had always been well,
Until one day while playing,
He suddenly fell.
The boy held onto life,
'Til the evening light grew dim.
Then the footsteps were deafening,
As "the visitor" came for him!
The boy's death left an empty spot,
But God gave him a girl and another boy!
And, over the years they had provided,
He and his wife much joy!
Oh, there had been some sorrow
As there is in everyone's life.
But, after the kids left home ,
They were happy, just he and his wife!
Then, one cold and dreary night,
He could still recall when,
She lay so deathly sick,
And he heard the footsteps once again.
He knelt by her bedside,
And silently breathed a prayer,
As once again he felt the presence,
Of "the visitor" there.
When he took his darlin' to the graveyard
And placed her in the ground,
Somewhere off in the distance,
He seemed to hear a joyful sound!
His darlin' was at home in Heaven,
Over on the beautiful shore,
And she would have no pain
Or sufferin' anymore!
It was then and there he realized,
He would not have long to wait!
His precious darlin' would be waitin',
Just inside the Eastern gate!
As he returned to his chair and waited,
For his life down here to end.
He realized somehow this time, "
The visitor" would be a friend!
They found him the next mornin',
Sittin' in his favorite chair,
With a smile on his face,
That death had gently placed there!
Robert F. Dotson © 2007
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