Read by Baldwin Van der Linden at Alf’s Memorial, at the request of Leonie Rombout
Death is nothing at all
You have only slipped into the next room
You are you and I am I
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still
Call you by your old familiar name
Speak to you in the easy way which I’ve always used
Put no difference in my tone
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together
Play, smile, think of you, pray for you
Let your name be ever the household word that it always was
Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity
Why should you be out of mind because you are out of sight?
You are waiting for me, for an interval, somewhere very near
Just around the corner
All is well