Vernon Culver Wheeler Jr.

Remember Me in the Quiet Hours

When the wind folds the evening into itself,

and the last light rests on the rim of the sky,

remember me-

not as a shadow fading,

but as the warmth that lingers in your hands

after holding something precious.

When rain hums softly against the glass,

and the world feels wrapped in silver threads,

remember me-

in the way the earth drinks deeply,

in the way your breath slows

when you listen to the heart of the storm.

When laughter rises without warning,

and you turn to share it,

remember me-

for I am there in the echo,

woven into the fabric of your joy,

a note in the song you carry forward.

And when silence comes,

do not fear it-

for in that stillness,

you will find me whole,

waiting in the space

between your heartbeat and the next