All This for a Brief Smile

at the beginning of the end 

you went to shake my hand 

i followed it with an embrace 

for i could not face 

what i knew would come 

i think of you every night 
as the calmness of the dark 
washes over me 
comforting me 
as i pray that i'll see you again 

i'm afraid of tomorrow 
as it creeps slowly along 
like snail it moves 
leaving a trail of past 
failures and mistakes 
edging closer and closer