Grieving Poem
A subtle electric stream
From your toes to your pounding headache
A wave of goosebumps and a rise in temperature
Pain so intense, you can barely breathe
It bubbles up at your throat and clogs your nose
Tears release, stomach knots dissolve
We are never taught to honor the sadness
We are always told to be “good” to be “proper” to be “happy”
Fuck that
Be unruly, uncivilized, and raw
Let your grief roar and make space for sleep
Make space for love
Make space for forgiveness
Give your grief a hug
Love yourself as you are
Broken and glued together with gold leaf
You only have one life
Savor it.
Surround yourself with kindness and acceptance
Of course, that includes you.
Be kind to your grief
Accept your grief
Don’t shun it or compare it to someone else’s
Love and pain are deeply interconnected
Intense grief sheds a light on the intense love you shared
Honor that truth
Be kind to your love
Accept your love
You are worthy of love.
Don’t forget
Don’t neglect
The force that keeps us all united