Your Grief
my dearest
I am so sorry for the death of your child
your pain and despair are familiar songs
songs I remember clearly
you will look back and see a face
mannerisms than remind
hair that fell a certain way when brushed
you will hear their laughter
you will hold these images close
without feeling as if you heart is breaking
this change will come
ever so slowly, imperceptibly
sometimes the time between now and then is hard to endure
your faith in life, happiness, the future may waiver
grab onto anyone and anything that will get you through
do not be strong, logical, sensible,
listen not to the shoulds and the musts
fight not the pain
it will roll over you like a giant tidal wave
allow it to carry you forward
once the pain is spent
dropped gasping on the shore of sanity
it will fade
life will become worth living again
I am a strong swimmer
when you are swallowed up in the backwash
cling to me
close your eyes
feel my love
one mother's love to another
I will reach across the waters
do not forget to reach out
we all have pain
we all have loss
we are never given too much to bear
you are strong and you are loved
joy will come again
these lessons we learn as we love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not sure I could play today. I didn't find 50 words from a fellow poet! I chose, instead, to choose some words from this post on bereavement. (I just completed my certificate in Foundations of Palliative Care. ) Then changed my mind...
I took a letter written to a mother who had lost a child, found in Elisabeth Kübler Ross' On Children and Death (1983), a powerful, positive message of hope. Bracedridge's Natalia Novak murder has coloured our thinking and out emotions.
4 comments:
As mother, I feel that the death of a child would be especially difficult as something contrary to the natural order of things. I agree with you about not fighting the pain. Grieving is a necessary process, and through it slowly and imperceptibly comes healing. Beautifully expressed.
Sad and beautiful!
Such beautiful and forlorn words. There is nothing that can describe the grief of losing a child but your words bring comfort.
Hello Jenn. I must say this poem is heart-wrenching, yet tinged with beauty. Very well done.
And congratulations on the 5 poems in 5 days! I've been a little too busy to write as a much as I've wanted to for NaPoWriMo.
Post a Comment