Which star are you orbiting now?
I look up at the Pleiades, trying to find you there;
Wishing I could talk to you today,
Hear your laugh, or feel your small hand
Holding mine with such surprising strength
That I believe you could still climb tall trees to save your son
Or dive into bright blue water to rescue your daughter...
You taught me to be strong
(My moral compass comes from you)
But now my strength is failing, fading...
I reach out for you, bereaved and bereft -
My eyes full of brine and regret -
Searching for those small, strong hands
To keep me afloat in these dark waters...
You live in memory now,
As I dutifully dog-paddle through my life -
No more birthday cards to make
Or Mothers' Day flowers to send -
And it's impossible to forgive myself for my failures,
But I get some small comfort from my memories,
Like all orphans who search the sky for departed souls...
