She is panning for forgiveness
through the darkest sands of time
minerals from charred bone
fill the silt, left far behind
Remnants of tarnished memories
let guilt fossilize the years
how she longs to melt those frozen crystals, back into her own tears

Cry for the silence
Cry for the screams
Cry for the freedom
that forgiveness finds
in dreams

I still pine
       for what I’ve lost
               the promise and
                               fulfillment.

I still search my memory
                for hidden fragments
                                 of that treasure.

     Time has covered
                some of them in
                            shadows of nostalgia.

     But the flaming pain
                        still brightly burns and
                                      tears will not extinguish it.
                        ljm