Grief of grief,

              the pain, this pain---

                                searing, cutting, ravenous--

                  slicing into bone and marrow-

      ruthless sorrow,

                  breathing over, bending, breaking--

                                        all around is shaking, shaking,

                   while those eyes so dark, so calm,

           and now so cold,

                             cut ribbons of this agony deeper.

          Weeping

                       with me

                             not indifferent--

                 with me here--

    I know Him.

                This, the Man of Sorrows-

      He-

         the pierced,

                  the bruised,

                             the cursed

                  is with me, near me

         in this trouble--

              so terrible.

     But I know

          He loves and holds

                   His precious, still creation

                      and restores

                          all life

           This life--

                this tiny, insignificant creature.

     He loves,

          He knows

                 even the sparrow

and renews.

      Creation groans--

            He will recall

                   and not forget

                         that which was broken

                by the Fall . . .