In Heaven
a circle of grass
Tread down
by the prayers of dancers.
Around it
A ring of drums
the smell of burning sage.
A light breeze and a warm sun.
“And now
We’re gonna sing an honor song
For our Brother Richard Twiss.”
The sound of
drums and voices lifted up.
Can you hear them Richard?
The saints sing to honor you.
Dancers enter,
clothed in buckskin and feathers,
Beads and shells.
Leading them all is one whose hands and feet are pierced.
the grass sprouts through his soles,
the sun shines through his palms.
Can you see him Richard?
The Son of God dances to honor you
and welcomes you home.
You stood with your people
And now you dance with our Creator.
I will miss you Richard.
My brother.
My uncle.
My chief.
My friend.
by Daniel Fan
wonderful poem!
Dan, thank you for writing such an honorable tribute to our spiritual elder.
I will miss you, Uncle Richard. Thank you for giving us precious words that challenge us to become better Jesus followers. May we all carry on your Truth-telling redemptive work for His kingdom.
Your little asian sista, Jane
I just keep reading and re-reading this. I love it. The part that always brings tears to my eyes is :The Sone of God dances to honor you. I don’t know that Jesus dances for all of us who enter Heaven, but somehow it seems right that He would dance to honor Richard–such a faithful servant, a rich blessing to so many.
Beautiful!
Thank you for such a beautiful poem. Know that there are so many of us who were touched by his life and committed to continuing the work that he started.
Beautiful. My family had the privilege of knowing Richard for many years. He was a wonderful man, and we’ll miss him dearly.
Thank you, Dan. I’m inspired to let the poems flow as I ponder my 12 years on the trail with Richard.