This is another poem about my dear friend, who died in 2010. Tom and I were so in tune with each other that I wrote this poem on the day he died. But I did not know until a few months later, when the letter from his insurance company arrived in my mail, telling me that he had died.

A Beam

From a thought within
Came a flickering light,
A twinkle,
A glimmer,
A back-and-forth movement
Steadily sparkling bright, luminous light

Taking in oxygen
From the rays it gave,
I felt its warmth
In every single way,

With each and every turn
Came a stronger inner voice
Transporting,
Transmitting,
And guiding me;
Focused in every way

There were many glowing lights,
Bringing balance to my life,
But only one after many passings,
When the earth stopped in reverence

An angel appeared.

Like a lunar eclipse, it carried me
Gently to essential elements
I dreamed of all my life.

You can order my poetry collection, including this poem, here: Reflections of My Heart. I plan to release a new edition, which will include this work, in the spring of 2026.

Original text ©2026 by Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved. Image by Karen Lynn-Chlup, ©2026.