she had these books,
fictional stories about female
chinese leads,
or about chinese culture-
all the beauty and grace that breathed
there.
her favorite author was Lisa See,
and so i knew i had to read them,
all of them.
i felt closer to her then.
and i needed that warmth.
march 20th 2020
A young woman's journey through death.
it's the same every morning.
a quiet whisper that just reminds me the moment i clear the sleep from my eyes.
have you ever woken up and for a moment everything is brighter, lighter and then-
then it settles deep into your skin-
that no-
nothing is bright.
it's just another day without her.
a quiet whisper that just reminds me the moment i clear the sleep from my eyes.
have you ever woken up and for a moment everything is brighter, lighter and then-
then it settles deep into your skin-
that no-
nothing is bright.
it's just another day without her.
april 20th 2019
her sweet voice...
i need to keep filling my mind with other things.
things that can keep me busy.
if i slow down i'll just remember.
and then I'd be lost in my head
questioning if it was my fault,
that it was just all my fault-
because i wasn't there and that is my punishment.
i need to make this weight soften.
i need to keep filling my mind with other things.
things that can keep me busy.
if i slow down i'll just remember.
and then I'd be lost in my head
questioning if it was my fault,
that it was just all my fault-
because i wasn't there and that is my punishment.
i need to make this weight soften.
august 3rd 2019
i spent my time disappearing.
trying to keep the world away from my own truths-
once i did that, once i listened and felt what was lying beneath my lungs
then i'd never be okay again.
so i drank tea.
i'd read a book.
i'd daydream of gardening.
happier things.
brighter things.
trying to keep the world away from my own truths-
once i did that, once i listened and felt what was lying beneath my lungs
then i'd never be okay again.
so i drank tea.
i'd read a book.
i'd daydream of gardening.
happier things.
brighter things.
decemeber 10th 2019
ever since i was little i loved the taste of tea.
when the leaves would settle into the water and bleed,
i'd watch the tendrils grow and try and think of anything but
the missing pieces of myself.
we would drink tea and talk for hours.
i told her everything.
i told her all the small things in my life,
our souls blooming over a steaming cup of tea.
january 5th 2020
when the leaves would settle into the water and bleed,
i'd watch the tendrils grow and try and think of anything but
the missing pieces of myself.
we would drink tea and talk for hours.
i told her everything.
i told her all the small things in my life,
our souls blooming over a steaming cup of tea.
january 5th 2020
blueberries,
rosemary,
zucchini,
lavender,
squash,
cucumbers,
grew,
grew,
grew,
grew.
she was not only a mother,
but a mother of nature.
and i feel her in the wind,
in the way the birds sing
from the trees,
and the soft blades of the
grass beneath
my hands.
i want to stay outside.
february 8th 2020
rosemary,
zucchini,
lavender,
squash,
cucumbers,
grew,
grew,
grew,
grew.
she was not only a mother,
but a mother of nature.
and i feel her in the wind,
in the way the birds sing
from the trees,
and the soft blades of the
grass beneath
my hands.
i want to stay outside.
february 8th 2020
i've been so angry for so long.
today i woke up and thought:
i'm okay.
but there was still this deep ache,
and i knew that would never go away.
but i am okay.
because when the sun poured like gold from my window,
and sunk into my skin,
i swear she was there,
settling her hand on my hair.
i feel her love.
i will always feel her love.
today i woke up and thought:
i'm okay.
but there was still this deep ache,
and i knew that would never go away.
but i am okay.
because when the sun poured like gold from my window,
and sunk into my skin,
i swear she was there,
settling her hand on my hair.
i feel her love.
i will always feel her love.
march 4th 2020
she called me Audrey.
she had a love for Audrey Hepburn,
and said i looked just like her.
so i watched Breakfast at Tiffney's,
How to Steal a Million,
Roman Holiday;
she had good taste, my grandmother.
august 18th 2019
she had a love for Audrey Hepburn,
and said i looked just like her.
so i watched Breakfast at Tiffney's,
How to Steal a Million,
Roman Holiday;
she had good taste, my grandmother.
august 18th 2019
if you wanted any type of chocolate-
bars, kisses, mint patties-
all you had to do was ask.
she had bags of them hidden all over the house.
it always made me laugh.
the little things she did,
they made the world sweeter.
she was a chocolate fiend.
august 18th 2019
bars, kisses, mint patties-
all you had to do was ask.
she had bags of them hidden all over the house.
it always made me laugh.
the little things she did,
they made the world sweeter.
she was a chocolate fiend.
august 18th 2019
if i needed anything i went to her.
she listened to me,
and never once turned me away.
she did her best to make my world a better place,
nurturing me into a strong woman.
she was smart,
and kind,
and honest.
august 18th 2019
she listened to me,
and never once turned me away.
she did her best to make my world a better place,
nurturing me into a strong woman.
she was smart,
and kind,
and honest.
august 18th 2019
she was just so....vividly herself.
they decided on cremation.
i knew that being buried in the Earth is confining,
how could I go argue with any of her wishes.
it was selfish of me,
i wanted something physical, a place i could go to grieve.
to place flowers on her grave and talk to her.
like i used too.
then my grandpa gave me a golden necklace.
it was her.
i carry my grandma with me always now.
she pushes me to reach for the stars.
to work harder, to dream bigger.
i'm starting to heal,
i think.
i knew that being buried in the Earth is confining,
how could I go argue with any of her wishes.
it was selfish of me,
i wanted something physical, a place i could go to grieve.
to place flowers on her grave and talk to her.
like i used too.
then my grandpa gave me a golden necklace.
it was her.
i carry my grandma with me always now.
she pushes me to reach for the stars.
to work harder, to dream bigger.
i'm starting to heal,
i think.
september 10th 2019
i go through our texts,
because i hear her voice,
and it makes me feel like she's still here.
i send her some, sometimes.
though i know it doesn't deliver.
because i hear her voice,
and it makes me feel like she's still here.
i send her some, sometimes.
though i know it doesn't deliver.
may 5th 2019
i know that this pain will never go away,
because i miss her madly.
and i will never stop missing her in my life.
she truly made everything better.
she taught me so many things,
and i know that without that i wouldn't be the woman i am today.
she lives on through me.
the memories that i cherish,
the traditions i continue.
her love still breathes,
and i carry her wisdom in my heart.
and that is enough.
because i miss her madly.
and i will never stop missing her in my life.
she truly made everything better.
she taught me so many things,
and i know that without that i wouldn't be the woman i am today.
she lives on through me.
the memories that i cherish,
the traditions i continue.
her love still breathes,
and i carry her wisdom in my heart.
and that is enough.
march 30th 2020
created april 6th 2020.
author and programmer: Natalie R. Lusk.
images provided by unsplash.com and over.
some were taken from private collection.
author and programmer: Natalie R. Lusk.
images provided by unsplash.com and over.
some were taken from private collection.