Hi everyone, and welcome to my 55th Crap Poem as part of the COPE campaign.
This crap poem was written recently, around the date of my mums birthday, and it’s dedicated to her memory.
She’s the person who’d be happiest to see me using my creativity for something worthwhile and positive, so the irony that my poems have become about her loss over a decade ago isn’t lost on me.
I wanted to write something about the experience of grief, and how complicated it can seem to be the friend of someone bereaved. What do you say? How will it make them feel? Do you know enough to comment? Do they even want to hear your thoughts?
The only truth I know is that every grief journey for every person is different, and what’s right for one person might be triggering for another. But that doesn’t mean you should say nothing. As the poem explains, keeping it simple is usually the best bet.
Remember – if you or someone you love is struggling with bereavement or any other mental health concern, there are lots of helpful support lines and organisations you can contact for help on my mental health and suicide prevention support lines page.
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Missing
To claim that grief’s another load,
your heart will mend and won’t explode.
To say that times the greatest healer
when evil is your life‘s deck dealer.
To tell me that my memories
will somehow dry my teared up sleeves.
To point out how the loss is mine
and they’re now somewhere, feeling fine.
To show me that there’s signs each day
to prove their love ain’t gone away.
To tell me jokes that made them smile
expecting me to laugh a while.
To make me feel as if I failed
‘Cuz my grief mountain isn’t scaled.
Telling me how proud they be
if my future, they could see.
Reminding me of hopes and dreams.
Such missed desires, ripped at the seams.
Explaining how to look ahead
when all around you turns to dead.
I know these kind thoughts are meant well
a way of making loss less hell.
But every time I hear such words
my weighed-up thoughts just mix their curds.
Nothing takes the pain away.
You don’t wake fixed on a new day.
The memories you treasured fade.
Space made for flashback dying days.
Silence is no more a gift
as quiet time leads thoughts adrift.
I missed my loved ones more and more
and I’ve lost track of death tolls score.
So if you’re worried what to say
to a friend stuck in griefs clay.
Don’t try and make it complicated
with quotes like those that I have stated.
It’s valid that they’re feeling blue,
so simply say you miss them too.
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Remember if you need more distractions then there are more jokes on my Hold Humour page, as well as haikus on Haiku Hope, awful poems on Crap Poems and odd language in Weird Words. I also have a Tpage dedicated to stress hacks and other ideas to try if you need a distraction within the COPE campaign section of this website.
Thanks for visiting 🌲
Creative Steph 