for Uvalde
by ire’ne lara silva
my eyes are not large enough to weep this grief
my arms are not wide enough to hold this grief
my tongue is not wise enough to soothe this grief
my heart my sometimes infinite heart is not enough
this time
i don’t know where mothers hold their grief
or fathers or children or friends or neighbors or even
strangers who in this shared hurt are no longer strangers
our chests are not large enough can’t hold this roiling of
heat of fire of confusion this churning of fear of rawness
of emptiness
are tears enough are flowers enough are songs enough
are gifts enough are condolences enough are prayers enough
none of us are strong enough to bear this alone
one grief touches another one hurt touches another
one loss touches another one absence touches another
always linking
we bring what we can hold what we can we weep with you
may all our tears lessen the weight of your grief
may you never feel alone never feel abandoned in grief
never feel that we have forgotten that they are forgotten
they are loved
they are loved
they are loved
