In Requiem - Niki by NetWorthy
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
IN REQUIEM - NIKI
Sadness, grief, then misty eyes well
and words can seem so cheap:
For though I hardly knew you well
true feelings never ran so deep.
Visage unseen, and wisdom mild
gone at tender last;
Pain long thrust upon a little child
now free from that tragic past.
Magnificent, charming, a girl so bright,
never destined to be a woman,
How came you to touch us with your light
and quietly remind us that we are human?
Wondrous spirit, essence, grace,
trap'd in broken body mortal -
Now fly into your treasured place
up into heaven's glim'rd portal.
When challenged at that epic gate
"What reason this place you brings?"
Answer bravely, with assurance great:
"I have come to claim my wings."
- - - - - - - - - - -
Some of you may have known the wonderful Rendo artist "nikita_s_cold", a brilliant young teenage girl world-wise far beyond her years. You might not have known that she has been fighting for her life for some time, the result of a near-fatal childhood injury, compounded by a recent severe respiratory illness. She has been touch-and-go since November.
It is with great sadness that I must report that she has fought her final fight and has gone to heaven.
Sadly, anticipating her own death, she took her gallery down some time ago so I'm afraid you won't be able to see any of her charming and heartwarming art. I never had the priviledge of meeting her in person, but she and I corresponded a little bit and I am so honored that she would share even a tiny bit of her inner self with me.
In the short time I knew her, she taught me so much. She knew she was dying, yet had so much care and thought for others. She was a tremendous example of courage and grace during a tragic lifetime of pain that most of us can hardly imagine.
Goodbye Nikita. You will never know how you touched my life, and I will miss you greatly. And I am proud to have called you friend.
Larry
UPDATE:
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Image and poem © 2009 Larry Hodge
Nikita's foster mom posted a very informative (and haunting) obituary and account of her passing. You can find it HERE. If you knew Niki at all, I greatly encourage you to read it.

Comments (40)
Again you have touched me with your poem and words.. You did that already somanytimes when I read your comments on her sisters uploads. Those uploads I could never look at without crying.. Sometimes because of the horror behind it.. sometimes because of the unconditional love these two girls displayed to one another. Nikita touched my soul and so did her sister.. I consider it a gift and a privilege to have been able to exchance some thoughts with her. Truly an Angel of Light this extraordinairy spirit was and is.. She has gone to Heaven without a single daubt.. Here is a quote from one of her site-mails to show how much love she was capable of.. "I tell my sister that after I am dead I will be following God on a beautiful path to Heaven; it will be covered with flowers as far as my eye can see, the grass with be a golden green and the sky will be so blue and the trees so high, but I tell her that I will walk real slow so that she can catch up to me later. :)" Nikita, I will never, never, never forget you..
Wonderful dedication, quite fitting :)
really a great, touching tribute here....this is true emotional digital art, fantastic work!
Beautiful work and lovely words, dear Larry !!! 5*
What a beautiful and sensitive tribute composition, and very touching words too, I am finding Nikita in recent years was a much loved and extremely talented young lady. How sad that she didn't find that overwhelming love in her early tortured life, if she had she would still be with us, so we all could enjoy her amazing talent and spirit. Maybe her new life will be what she was destined for, we will never know. Wherever she is I wish her eternal peace now. hugs Jane xx
LOVELY TRIBUTE YOU DID !! I LIKE THIS SPARKS !! TANKS TO YOUR COMMENTS IN MY GALLERY !! HUGS AND KISS FATIMA MORGANA BRASIL
Oh how beautiful. And you are right. I didn't know her as well as you did, but I always was touched by her very personal comments, that she saw something, made the effort to think about even the not-so-significant works of mine. And I wondered about the depths of her pictures, not really knowing what was behind, but sensing, that there had to be a story. I'm so sad that the story turned out to be so sad and that it ended as it did. I too am sad, that her work has been removed.. Your toucing farewell would have moved Nikita, I'm sure. Great work.
Sad news, Larry - great image - very toughing.
Such a beautiful image and very sad words, she must be an angel now! +) Hug's Ute
A touching homage to a bright soul. Well done, sir! You are a truly skilled wordsmith - this brought tears to my eyes.