Echoes of My Father
A sonnet to help cure my inner child
I saw your laughter circle through the air,
My husband with our child, her joy untamed.
And in that glow, a shadow lingered there—
My father’s ghost, in memory unnamed.
I do not hold a wealth of gentle years,
For childhood wore the mask of grief and fight.
Yet still I dream he soothed away my fears,
And held me close as day dissolved to night.
The past was fractured, sharp with loss and blame,
But hope returns in echoes soft and clear.
Through him, through you, love flickers all the same,
A fragile flame that darkness could not sear.
So here I stand, where grief and grace unite—
A child of shadow, raising one in light.
Author's Note
This sonnet was born from watching my husband play with our daughter and suddenly imagining my late father holding me as a baby. Though my childhood holds more shadows than light, I hope that in some way, those moments of tenderness existed—and now, through my little family, I get to live them again.
About the Creator
Carolina Borges
I've been pouring my soul onto paper and word docs since 2014
Poet of motherhood, memory & quiet strength
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Comments (4)
Beautiful and poignant
This is beautiful, Carolina. Well done.
Very touching and beautifully written sonnet Carolina. Your commentary at the end also gave it a lot more depth for me personally when I re-read it.
This is so moving, tender, haunting, and full of hope. I love how you’ve woven grief and healing together.