Tearless Memories

For my dear friend who took her own life. I miss her.

You reached for a cloud

on a sunny day

with no rain on the way

with clinched fists and fear 

you feel no pain

Hearts sing in silence

grief without sound

and tearless memories

fill the empty wells

of our souls

Prayers rise up

and fall to an empty God

abandoned by the living 

and reached for by the dead.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is so sad....some see clouds when we don't...their skies are never sunny...
it is always raining in their mind and heart...and it gets to be too much.
Sometimes the tears are only shed inside...and sooner or later, the dam breaks.
Powerful piece of poetry, James.
j.

[James]

There are so many emotions. I have had several people close to me take this route. There is no explaining it.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'Tearless Memories'
James,
I feel for you and found myself coming and going this morning as the words of this poem filtered through. To be able to consider the life now gone and imagine inner struggle is what we do. It is just so hard because the decision to leave was not anyone else. Yes we wonder could our help have made a difference? I get this writing. We have had it happen in our family too. Devastating is all I can say. Love your transparency for it does help. Thankyou.
Blessings.
Kathy

[Coyote Poetry]

The below lines could stand alone.
"Prayers rise up
and fall to an empty God
abandoned by the living
and reached for by the dead."
The above lines, many hope, it will be true. Thank you James for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

So sad, but many in their despair take this route out. The ones left behind have to deal with their own grief and often have guilt feelings because they didn't see the warning signs. I am sorry for your loss. A heart wrenching tribute to a beautiful friend who lost her way.

Chris

[Papaya]

So heartbreaking, James.
What a beautiful woman she was.
So sad, you never know what people are carrying inside.

[James]

I knew she was hurting, but I didn't know how bad. We had not spoken in person for years. She was my high school sweetheart.

[Papaya]

it's a tough thing to pick up on usually because people hide everything inside

[jacob erin-cilberto]

as Anne Sexton wrote about suicides..."like carpenters they ask, what tools, not why build"

[John the Baptist]

The imagery in this one brings the grief home powerfully. It is difficult to understand the viewpoints of those in the throes of depression. Most of the time, they don't want to die; they just want the brutal pain to end.

[James]

Yep, and all we want is them back.