The Grievers

The grievers

By Wendi Kitsteiner

You dreamed 

of many children

And they came, 

Along with death.

And you buried them 

in garbage bags

And dreamed

Of baby’s breath.

And you grieve.

Your son

Went for a jog

And his heart,

Did cease to pound. 

And you cried

But the world 

Kept spinning,

Going ‘round and ‘round. 

And you grieve.

The man you loved …

He wavered.

Now he’s gone,

But he’s not dead. 

Your mind replays

The stories. 

Lies he told you.

Things he said. 

And you grieve.

It’s simple really

Isn’t it? 

You want to find 

Your place.

You leave the job

To raise the kids

And can’t quite

Find your space. 

And you grieve.

Mental illness 

took him.

You couldn’t 

Make it work.

You made the choice

To walk away

But the pain

Is so much worse. 

And you grieve.

You felt a calling

On your life

And you listened,

Thus you went.

But then a man

Decided

That your calling

Wasn’t apt. 

And you grieve.

A child 

In your arms

But the cancer

Does unfurl.

And it takes

All you have left

Including siblings 

For your girl.

And you grieve.

When things don't go
As you planned
And the part you land
Doesn't fit. 
And you try to smile
But your heart just sinks
Deep, deep down.
A pit. 

And you grieve.

Your son
Faces a firing squad
Each time he 
Goes to school.
And you drop him off
With a tear-soaked face.
They don't know him!
He's not a fool!

And you grieve.

You watch as 
All your friends
Find that man
And become a wife. 
And you wonder
What is wrong with you.
Why can't you
Find that life. 

And you grieve.

Your dad is gone.
So fast.
So swift.
And yet life just gives you more. 
Your soldier on
But deep inside,
You aren't the same as you were before. 

And you grieve.

Your daughter grows
So beautiful.
And her big dreams
come what may. 
And you try to guide
And protect your child
But you know
She'll fly away. 

And you grieve.

You serve along

Your husband’s side

As life 

Moves you around. 

And you try to keep

It normal.

But the losses

They abound. 

And you grieve.

A husband 

Thus you are

With two children

That you share.

When selfishness

Rips your wife away

And leaves you. 

So unfair. 

And you grieve.

Your loved ones

Caused you pain untold

So you chose

To walk away.

And while you know

The choice is valid

The loss …

It seems to stay.

And you grieve.

The sickness is really bad 

They say.

And what they do 

Just leaves you scars. 

And they take the parts

That made you you.

They take out

Who you are. 

And you grieve.

Depression eats you 

up inside.

It’s killing you

But slow.

And you grieve 

for your little boys

And the life 

You want to know. 

And you grieve.

Your womb
Remains but barren
Though you wish
It held a child.
And while friends 
And family
Welcome more,
You grief is far from mild. 

And you grieve.

Your spouse is 

Dying slowly.

There is nothing

Left to do. 

So you stand up straight

And soldier on.

For your kids you 

Push on through. 

And you grieve.

You lose your friend
To cancer
And you just can't
face the sun. 
What's left is loss
And holes
And grief.
Where once there was just fun. 

And you grieve.

And my friend,

I stand beside you.

Though the pain 

It feels immense.

And while I cannot 

Fix it.

You can cry

Upon my chest. 

And we will grieve.

Together. 

Dedicated to my friends who are grieving today.
You know who you are. 
I hope you find yourself in these stanzas. 
You are there. 
And I am with you.