My dearest dear Be’er
That is what I always called you.
Endearing, to say the least
Although you now cease to exist,
my memories of you will never cease
As in my heart, you live forever
But how I do miss you
More than you could ever know
All that I ever wanted was a better life
For us three

If only you had shared my boat,
Why did you not share my boat?
With me, you shared your life, and I was your wife
Why could we not have traversed together?
We traveled as one, as we lived as one
You promised that you would never leave us
Couldn’t you have squeezed onto my boat
With every remnant of hope held in your heart,
Enveloping your soul?

We were a family, but now we are
Just fragments of shattered crystals
Of which I never knew through abject poverty
But I would give a billion crystals to have you here with me,
My dear Be’er
And your child, who survived
Due to my endurance, faith, determination
I did it for my dearest Be’er
As this is what you would have wanted.

But there are many days, dark days, when I wish not to be here
Not to keep drowning in memories of the good days with you
Which teases me with their now non-existence
I tire of being teased, and it is not fair to you or me
But then I remembered that you did it for your dear son and me
You made your sacrifice because you loved us
I know that you would have given a billion crystals
To be here with us, my precious gem
I will keep going, shining a torch through those dark days,
Keeping your son safe, keeping memories of you alive for him
And for my sanity.

I will share with him my memories of Kandahar
Our city, which is south of the Arghandab river
I will remember the grapes and orchards,
the taste of pomegranates on better days
And although poor, it is where we became rich,
as together we fell in love
Know that I will always love you and will never let you down
I will love you until the sun, moon, and stars cease to exist
As you will remain in my heart forever.