from Afterlife by Julia Alvarez
She cannot comprehend
how someone she loved
can be nothing but dust
A new life awaiting her
Walking a narrow path
through the loss
Taking sips of sorrow
Wake up empty and frightened
Contain the damage
Keep breathing
Who now to champion her?
Silence is all she gets
Unsettled, irritated with him
for leaving her alone
Come back and help me
The world is a crazy place
The world is a crazy place. Life is so hard after someone is gone.
“Taking sips of sorrow” and that ending–wow. I’m so glad you shared this.
Don’t you love it when words flow so nicely, Diane. I like how you gave us a sneak peek into the book you are reading. This stanza works so well:
Walking a narrow path
through the loss
Taking sips of sorrow
A perfect example of how books speak to us. These words fit together so perfectly to express loss and longing.
“Who now,” indeed. This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
Loved your poem! I know it comes from the book you’re reading, but it also comes from your life. I’m sending the poem to my BFF who lost her husband unexpectedly in February.
I went to NYT to read a review of Afterlife and now I’m adding it to my For Later Shelf at the library. I love getting book recommendations from my blogger friends!