Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Remission

Grief isn’t gone – doesn’t disappear
it only goes into remission. It waits
always patient, to return with a word,
a familiar face, smell, place, or thought
to plunge you deep into the pit again.
Sure, the intensity lessens, that stabbing
pain that attacks the heart and strips away
until you are raw, becomes a deep
sadness, a haze instead of a bright Monet.
Grief never disappears, it just goes into
remission for a day, a night or even a week.

7 comments:

Willow said...

Painful, honest poem. Thank God for remissions. Original choice for the term. {{{{Judy}}}.

Laurie Kolp said...

Judy~ I know it is difficult and never goes away, but keep looking for those ladybugs. They're sure to come.

Peggy said...

Such excellent images and comparisons in this. Never thought about grief being something that just goes into remission. Perfect description.

Bob H said...

How true that grief, profound grief, can strike anywhere, anytime, from the most innocent "word ... face, smell, place, thought." You caught it well.

Victoria said...

Yes - Grief is a wave process, never gone, the troughs between waves just lengthen. At least that's my experience. Like remission. Strong poem.

Peggy said...

I love how your Brian poems are shaping up into a body of work and look forward to the publication! How true this is.

Mary said...

Judy, I agree with this. Grief doesn't leave, but goes into remission. I'd never thought of it that way, but rings true to me.