**Reflections of the Departed**

In the hushed evening, where shadows wane,
They gather, a somber assembly of whispers,
Crimson and gold draped upon heavy hearts,
Once, in this life, they threw stones laced with sighs,
Casting shadows upon her vibrant spirit,
Mocking her laughter, silencing her dreams—
But now, as twilight cloaks the world in silence,
They are the echoes of their own disdain,
The weight of scorn pressing upon their hollow chests.

She ascended, a gentle flame, a spark of light,
Transcending the burdens of flesh and time,
Her laughter now a hymn in Heaven’s embrace,
Yet they remain, marred souls trapped in despair,
In the bowels of their self-inflicted damnation.
They chose the chains of bitterness,
And in their hearts, a heavy fog clings,
While she dances among stars,
Unfettered by hurts that once were their bond.

They glance upward, wishing for her warmth,
Yet find only the cold visage of their making—
For in the echoes of their laughter,
What was meant to mock,
Was the reflection of their own brokenness.
Each taunt woven with threads of jealousy,
Each jeer, a mirror held up to shattered self.
She had been the light they couldn't bear,
And now, with her gone, their shadows deepen,
Fingers trembling as they probe the darkness.

In their arrogance, they thought her weak,
A flickering...