Guadalupe River
Our Lady of Guadalupe
mourns as she remembers the day
she cried tears like precious gems
when so many young girls were lost
as murky flood waters
overtook cabins on the river’s edge,
torrents of rain, tangles of debris,
stuffed animals saturated in memory,
special blankets flying like flags on branches
of broken trees along the river.
She cradles her babies,
now crying tears to wash away the pain.
Trumpets echo the grace of angels.
(July 4, 2025, 28 girls from Camp Mystic in Central Texas
lost their lives in flooding from the Guadalupe River)
18 thoughts on "Guadalupe River"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You capture the sadness perfectly. The poem’s pacing can feel rapid like the floodwaters and yet it elongates the tragic sadness.
”
stuffed animals saturated in memory,”
Oh, that line hit hard.
A well crafted poem. 💜
Thank you for such a kind and insightful comment. It is good to know the emotion came through.
Virginia, a very powerful, sad, and true poem. It was such a horrible tragedy, and the pain will last for many years.
Thank you for your kind and supportive comment.
This was such a tregedy and you capture it so well. What hit me was
“special blankets flying like flags on branches
of broken trees along the river.”
I appreciate your kind and supportive comment.
You honor well the loss of these young girls.
This hurt to read “special blankets flying like flags on branches/of broken trees along the river.”
Your kind and supportive comment is much appreciated.
You have created such heartbreak with your words! A true honor to those lost!
I appreciate your support and insight. Thank you.
A thoughtful lament fill of beautiful imagery, and the last line is profound.
Your kind and supportive insight is much appreciated. The last line changed several times and when this came to me, it felt right.
I can vividly see the concrete details, such as “special blankets flying like flags on branches,” in this haunting poem
Thanks so much for your kind and insightful comment.
Such a moving and powerful tribute to these girls. “She cradles her babies”- yes. 💜 And now that the camp is closing down, I wish so deeply for a permanent space for a tribute to them there.
Thank you for this supportive insight. I appreciate it Thankful the camp is closing.
A beautiful remembrance for those girls. My heart goes out to them and their families. Well done, Virginia.
Thank you for the supportive comment. Much appreciated.