This poem, in the form of a prayer, was first shared in the 5WAVES support group for parents, and it resonated with many. 5WAVES has no religious affiliation. We do not promote any particular religion; neither do we require those who express their voices to remove their religious beliefs and experiences from what they share.
In the quiet, where shadows gather thick,
I hold a grief too deep to name.
One son, beloved, his laughter once pure—
now a wound that cuts twice, hidden and unhealed.
My daughter’s cry, soft and fractured,
echoes through every hollow place in my heart.
I ache for her stolen purity,
for the nightmares she cannot escape,
for the trust torn away, leaving only fear.
And I ache for the son I raised, now drowning in remorse,
yet even his regret cannot undo the pain.
This weight is double—
a love bruised on both sides,
for the child who wounded, and the child left wounded.
God, You are my refuge in this breaking,
the only light in this valley of shadow.
Hold her close, mend what seems unmendable,
bring peace to her haunted nights,
and let justice flow, gentle yet strong.
Guide my son through this ruin,
if grace can find a way.
Restore what feels beyond repair,
and let hope breathe here again.