I will not forget you

No matter what their trauma or pain

We must never erase a person

From our family history

If we do we keep love in chains

And a dam up a healing river of connection

That needs to flow

So today my darling sister

I remember you

You were the bright spark

The beautiful light

Dark hair pinned high

In a 1960’s bee hive

And you held me close

A tiny golden toddler

With prayer hands

To see you obliterated was not easy

It was the worst of pains

And to think of abandoning you

In those final years

When the only ones who stood by

Were so few

Was a tough call

But today despite the sacrifices

I am glad I was there

Maybe in another life

I will get to have those golden years

Unfree of trauma

Feeling the peace and open opportunities

Freely given to others

I can hope for that

To visit New York

To ride the subway

And possibly to watch

And participate in a street Hip Hop Dance

Jude you would have loved that

Remember how we sang

In the care home

Remember how sweet your voice was?

I do

And I will always remember you

My darling

You shone like a bright star

And then you fell into the darkest ocean

From within which your muffled screams

Sent up subatomic disturbances

But I have no doubt at all

Every single day

All of the many angels

Stood near at hand

Holding you close

Reminding you

Somewhere deep inside your soul

That your inner essence

Was always

Free