condolences by Czarina Datiles (18, California)

Trigger Warning: Mention of Death

I sent you a text
the night that your dog
passed away
under cloudy skies
of navy-gray
​it was the first thing
I said to you
since your birthday
three months ago
when the sun still shone
over crystal snow

---

and though my heart weighs heavy
for your dog that I’ve known
and loved
since fifth grade
I’m pinned down by
the exhaustion of your absence
in a sky once
raining in May
we are both overcast by clouds
drifted apart by winds
but in grief we find a patch
thoroughly stitched at its seams
and the words that failed us
came back in prayers and
“I’m sorrys”

             We’ll keep him and ur family in our prayers
​                                                                                    I said 
though I wished I could’ve
given you a hug instead 
​
​
Czarina Datiles is an eighteen-year-old Filipino writer and poet from San Diego, California. A national medalist in the 2023 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, her work has also been recognized by The New York Times. Authenticity, courage, and vulnerability are the driving forces of her writing, and her pieces confront the most frightening aspects of herself and society. She loves rainy days, fantasy novels, and boba drinks.