Our Amanda

Tribute to Amanda Margaret Pope, daughter of Lorraine Coker and Step Daughter to Richard J Hannah.

Amanda ( words, music and Vocals by Richard J Hannah)

How does one so special just not know,

How we all love her so.

Amanda walked like a quirky song

Smiles followed her down every road

Hands reached out but she stayed withdrawn

A mirror held questions she never showed

A comedy voice and pranks for days

Laughed until the night fell away

She kept her secrets in a small, locked place

Said she was fine in the most fragile way.

Amanda, you were loved by every room

Amanda, you were summer after noon

Amanda, you were everything we knew

Amanda, why couldn't you love you?

She learned to give until there was none

Wore other people's light like a coat

Candles for her birthday, wishes for a sun

Still she counted every note she wrote

We traced the outlines of where she began

Held on to echoes of her laugh

Told her she mattered a thousand times

But words slipped past like a broken glass.

Amanda, you were loved by every room

Amanda, you were summer after noon

Amanda, you were everything we knew

Amanda, why couldn't you love you?

Her mother waits for that daily call,

How are you momma? Are you in at all

Meet me in town for a coffee she’d say

Now Amanda has gone away

If loving her could've been enough

If someone had shown her how to stay

We would give her all the sky and sun

To keep the shadows from her face.

Amanda, you were loved by every room

Amanda, you were summer after noon

Amanda, you were everything we knew

Amanda, why couldn't you love you?

Amanda, oh Amanda, we still call your name

Amanda, oh Amanda, gone too soon to blame

So, sleep easy, no more pain

Amanda, sleep, the stars know you by name.