loss

May Our Hearts Heal

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Excerpt from Grandfather Poplar by Diana Henderson:

“Tears merged with the raindrops that streamed down her face. In her mind she had a vision of being wrapped in a grandfather’s arms, both of them weeping for something precious that was lost forever. She heard the weary cry of Redtail high above, his shrill and plaintive shriek signaling the need for nourishment and shelter from the sheets of rain, or perhaps he sensed their silent vigil and honored their grief with his own voice.”
©️ copyright 2005 Lillian D. Henderson

Saying Goodbye

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It’s been a tough year for us. My nephew died suddenly in February, and my eldest sister, Susan, died in May. We shared a lifetime of precious moments. This poem is for my beloved sister whom I’ll remember and love all my days.

To My Dear Nephew Steven

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This is a particularly sad poem. As I mourn the passing of my nephew, these days find me steeped in sorrow that needs expression. Sometimes writing or creating art allows sadness to dissipate and helps us transmute what otherwise might overwhelm the psyche.

Let us remember love’s refrain
Echoing time and time again
Walk with me in the pouring rain
Until we wash away all the pain
Let go the dreams that have been slain
Cleansing the tears and bloody stains
Suture the sorrow’s open veins
Releasing aches that yet remain
Both the sublime and the profane
Walk in the sunlight free of chains

—Diana Henderson
© 2026 Lillian D. Henderson