Keening

The keening cry of the baby echoed through the quiet night.

The keening whistle of the teapot signaled that the water was boiling.

The keening screech of the brakes startled the pedestrians on the sidewalk.

The young girl gazed out the window with keening eyes, longing for the arrival of her absent father.

The keening of the steam whistle signaled the departure of the train from the platform.

The traditional keening brought tears to the eyes of all those who listened, capturing the pain of loss in its rawest form.