First, And Foremost Poem by Bill Galvin

A crisp, crescent moon hangs low in a starlit winter sky;
Soon the moon will be new, then full again, by and by.
But, for now, it holds only about a quarter-cupful…
Of news, of plans, of loves, and gleams,
Of views, of memories, of hopes, and dreams.
Surrounded by a sky full of bright stars,
It cares not who, or where we are;
It shines, or not, for whoever pays it mind;
It aligns, or not, for those souls so inclined;
It defines, or not, those whose hearts are intertwined.

It shone before; will shine again, for evermore.
It is here when we arrive;
Will be so when we depart;
It's there if we fail, or thrive;
If we have the lead, or play a bit part.
The moon is endless witness to all that is.

Twelve moons ago, February 11,
She left her breath behind her…
And now this, the first… the big reminder.

The simple passing of a single year
Opens the pages of a memory book,
To rekindle in us that she was here;
That she was, in her time, so warm, and near;
That all who loved her know that it took
So little effort to hold her dear.

This day grows into the chapter it's meant to be,
As family and friends reflect
Upon our Deb's great affect;
Proving she was loved by many more than me;
And is living on in our hearts and our memories.

There will be many more moons for us down here,
And Deb would surely be with us if she could.
But she'd want us to recall, and be truly sincere,
That she loved us, loved Life, and loved doing Good;
And she would tell us, and try to make it quite clear,
That the Universe is unfolding as it should.

So, knowing how she passed across…
Her love, her poise, her grace is what shall survive.
I'd encourage that we should not mourn our loss,
But be thankful that she has blessed our lives.

2-14-2016 (Rest In Peace, Deb)