Cardboard Dreams

On a bed of cardboard, hard and cold, he lies, 
A contrast to his youth, under the open skies.
With grandpa by the lake; memories so sweet,
Drifting, he wades where past and future meet.

In the town of youth, where waters mirror sky,
He sees a haven for kin, under his watchful eye
Of love, in homes kissed by the sun's embrace,
His soul, in the moment, touched by a higher place.

Surrounded by the ghosts of laughter, love, and light,
His visage, a serene portrait in the approaching night.
He seeks reunion, in the warmth that love weaves,
Whispering farewells to the world, like autumn leaves.

The morning's touch, a mystery, his fate remains unseen,
Will it be in the gentle hug of sleep, or in passage serene?
In the realm he goes, by the lake, may he find his peace,
In the embrace of the eternal, may his gentle soul release.