community mourning

A year has gone by
without you here.

The pain, the sorrow, the longing
feels as fresh today
as one year ago.

I sit in community
with all who knew and loved you
as we remember
your smile, passion, love;
I can hear your laughter
ringing out and through the first snow.

We mourn you.
We miss you.
We love you.

Drown the sorrows

Drown the sorrows,
the struggles, the insecurities
in the liquid
that warms your mouth and throat
and leaves a fire
in its wake
to validate your acknowledgment.

How many times have you
tasted this burn,
felt it smoldering for hours and hours?
Tell me,
does it make things better
or worse?