Like unwanted vines
choking a rose bush, it
blocks the sun and rain
until delicate buds,
nearly ready to bloom
Whither and fade-
Their true colors
never allowed to
grace the garden
I would miss your
beautiful colors
even more than
those of the roses
So, let’s face our
grief together, and
let tears fall like a steady
rain, reviving wilted buds
And with open arms
invite others who are
hurting to join us until
we are wholly comforted
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5: 4
Tag: grief
Simply Sunday
Revisiting a poem from 2020. The list of names, already too long, continues to grow. No title this time.
His child, spouse,
sibling, parent-
Helpless, watching
as he lies on the ground
Terrified, he struggles
begging for breath-
A knee pressed
down on his neck
Calling out
Mama!
His cries for mercy
ignored-then silenced
A family left
grieving-
Another name
added to a list
Life, liberty, and
the pursuit
of happiness
denied, destroyed
A weeping world
refuses to look away
A weeping world
will not be silenced
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.””
Galatians 5:14
Simply Sunday
The reasons are many,
both logical and emotional.
Reasons we hesitate to speak
the names of those we miss.
Concern about how
Others may respond, or
how we ourselves may react.
Yes, emotions can be unpredictable,
But it is imperative to remember.
It reminds us of the immense
capacity of our hearts
to hold love along with grief.
So, go ahead, speak their
names. Let the sound of
Memories wash over you.
Simply Sunday
Always a welcome guest
Your brightness,
not to be ignored
As you gently alight
on the fence
I catch my breath
You seem to smile as
Snowflakes land on
your scarlet feathers-
A perfect contrast
Perhaps that is why
You so often shake
me out of my grief
Taken back by your beauty,
I sweetly reminisce
And for just a moment,
See the faces of those I miss
Belongings
A silver shopping cart
sits in the middle
of an empty
parking lot
They must have missed it
during the big clean-up
Someone’s every
single earthly
belonging lay
still inside
There was no someone.
I imagine it will
be gone tomorrow
Another attempt to
solve a problem
by covering it up
But the question
remains the same
Where did the people go?
Third poem in an unintended trio. Read the others here:
Eerily Clean
Despite the upbeat music playing in my car
The drive to work was eerily quiet –
A pale brown deer stood alone
in the corner of the field I pass daily-
I barely caught a glimpse
of her head turning as I drove past
Happy and sad at the same time
A combination of feelings I understand
I don’t understand the deafening
cries to clean up the streets
simultaneously seeking to silence
the cries of hurting hearts
I don’t understand tearing a man
from the only home he knows
destroying his tent and what few
belongings he owns
So much prideful noise, such a lack
of compassion and understanding-
The streets are eerily clean, but
our hearts must answer
the frightening question
hanging stagnant in the air-
Where did the people go?
Counterintuitive
Not a cloud in the sky.
Yet, a heavy haze
held the morning.
Unhelpful. Especially when
my brain also feels foggy.
If only I were still sleeping.
However, sleep is not
a likely solution.
There is rarely a
single solution anyway.
Some days are just like this.
My heart is grateful for
family and friends.
My head is unsure how
to process the melancholy.
Seems counterintuitive
to wish for a cloud.
But if a fluffy cloud means
A lifted haze
A bluer sky
A spark of imagination
Then I will keep searching.
Looking out every time
I pass a window.
Simply Sunday
Light and Shadow
I sat with
The heaviness
All-day-long
My heart wrapped
In a blanket of grief
The day wrapped
In weeping clouds
A peak of the sun
Broke my stillness
Only a glance
Out the window
Surely, I should not soak it in
How could I?
Amid so much suffering
That sweet sunshine
Not to be ignored
Determined to draw me out
Shone a little brighter
Bravely displaying
Light and shadow
Simultaneously
I couldn’t help
Whispering
Thank you
Even as my heart
Continued to cry
Today, I am sharing a poem from my recent collection, When the Glass Breaks. Once again, the day, the world, feels anything but simple. And I know there are no simple answers. But I am reminded of the following quote.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Lingering Light
A heart-shaped cloud
Usually prompts a smile
But not that day-
That day, the cloud was gray-
A symbol of grief
A reflection of the hurt
Many suffer, often in silence-
The sky was silent, too
Unlike recent days of rain,
Thunder, and lightning-
As if now holding
Its breath while
The grieving heart
Cautiously passed by
Light remained-
Not bright, but soft and warm-
Like a lamp lit
In the corner of a room
Quietly lingering
Offering comfort
Holding space for healing
Hold Tight
A rolling dark cloud
Greeted the day
Its growth visible
Second by second
Ominous, imparting a
Sense of dread and fear
On all who approached-
I felt it, too
A tightness in my chest
A furrow on my brow
But still, the day approached
And there was no place to hide-
A gentle tap tap on the window
Shifted my thoughts-raindrops-
As if to say, it will be ok
Yes, I hold heaviness today
But don’t be afraid –
Sometimes, tears have to flow
There’s no other way through
At least, not today-
It may seem darkness is growing
But the sun holds tight behind me
Waiting as the rain
Washes away my hurt
Preparing my heart to
Receive and reflect the light-
So, I wait for the sun
Will you wait with me?
Piano Girl 