Survivor's Guilt

In Asheville’s shadowed streets, I roam,

Where echoes of loss now call this place home.

Hurricane Helene, a tempest of fate,

Left lives shattered, and hearts heavy with weight.

Why was I spared? The question cuts deep,

When so many weep for the ones they can’t keep.

What makes me special? The ache lingers still,

As I walk through the remnants, my heart feels the chill.

I see faces etched with sorrow and pain,

Families displaced, their dreams washed away like rain.

I’m here but I’m lost, mentally adrift,

In the scent of decay, a haunting gift.

Yet in this confusion, I yearn to find light,

To honor the fallen, to stand up and fight.

With every step forward, I seek to connect,

To weave my existence in ways that reflect.

Can small acts of kindness become a new start?

A way to mend wounds, to open my heart.

I’ll volunteer, listen, be present and true,

Transforming my grief into something anew.

I’ll hold space for sorrow, let it teach me to feel,

In the depths of this darkness, find ways to heal.

For those who have suffered, I’ll strive to create,

A life that is worthy, a love that won’t wait.

So here in the aftermath, I’ll learn to embrace,

The fragile connection we all must face.

I’ll navigate this journey, one breath at a time,

In honor of those lost, I’ll make this life shine.