Bear’s Creative Writing
“Pearl Divers”
I wrote this story in July 2023, the day I stepped away from Tuonela Magazine and suddenly found myself overwhelmed by “grelief.” I was sitting in the sauna, crying and listening to Auri’s “Pearl Diving,” and thinking about what it means to form unexpected, life-giving friendships.
This piece came from that moment: a tribute to a friend who inspired me when I didn’t know I needed inspiring.
It’s a story about taking a risk on friendship with someone who gets it. About being seen and daring to seek beauty together.
“Elegy for a Lost Soul”
This was written instantly after the last time I ever spoke with my adoptive son. At the time, he was still alive, but had chosen the path of destruction over redemption. He passed away five months later.
This poem is a farewell, an explosion of anger and grief, and a expression of love that never stopped.