Let me tell you about a man Tommy Collins

A veteran in country music who interrputed his career by his own choice

To become a minister and by the way I understand he was very successful

And during this period of his life Tommy pasteured a small Baptist church

In the very small town of Lincoln California.

And it was during this time that he was called upon to speak at a funeral

And the poem I want to recite for you now is a true experience of Tommy's

And it's simply called The Funeral.

A funeral is always a saddening thing

For everybody is somebody to someone

But some funeral scenes chill you to the bone

And one day in our town we had one.

A very young mother had died

Something that you just don't expect

And the shops and stores had all closed their doors

They did it out of love and respect.

And in the crowded funeral home that day

With everyone present weeping

The sound of a little girl's voice was heard

She said, "That's my mommie, she's sleeping."

Then I heard the sound of her little feet tap tap tap

As she made her way down the aisle

Her little purse dangled from her tiny wrist

and it brushed her best Sunday dress

And she boldly asserted the confidence

That little folks like her possess.

To the life that has no final chapter

There's no ending and no last mile

The preacher and the rest were petrified

But on the little girl's face was a smile.

She said wake up mommie wake up

And still not satisfied she reached out with her little hand

And touched her face and cried

Then the broken hearted daddy spoke

With a gentleness and with power

And the words that issued from his lips

Was the sermon for the hour.

In a child like faith he told her

That the dead in Christ will rise

God gave us his word he said

And we know he never lies.

We can't wake up our sleeping mommie

But we know someone who can

Baby, only God can wake up mommie

Let's go home and leave her in his hands...