I sit between

the passing of two parents.

One grief still fresh, I am

holding like liquid in my hands the love I cannot give.

The other creeps in at odd moments

when my heart quietly disappears, leaving

the hollow ache of knowing

he, too, will soon be gone.

So I hold fast to a pinprick of light, my guide

through the forest of darkness

Who will I be

in this new life without you?

I will harness the light to find my voice

search the well for my own truth

as I soar into the abyss

I’ll see you both along the way.

© 2021 Laurie Mansur, All Right Reserved

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Laurie Mansur is an artist and small business owner living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She draws inspiration from her family, the natural world and from the experiences of giving birth to a new life at the age of 58. You can see more of her artwork at www.LaurieMansurArt.com.