I wrote a poem for a friend of mine who passed away.

[Voran]

I get that it's self indulgent; she can neither hear it nor read it.

I'm not posting this to her old Facebook page because...well...it's written by me. I don't think her family would want to hear about Greek mythology or three headed dogs. That's the only language I can write in but it's not everyone's thing.

So I shall post it here.

One day I will have white hair and milk eyes
One day Annihilation will lower her black hood
Offer her hand to me under the night sky
'Follow me' she will say 'is this understood'

She is not cruel; she speaks softly in bell tones
Her hand in mine; the night is as onyx
Do not slip now on slick treacherous stones
Do not succumb to the black roiling Styx

They put a silver coin in my mouth for this
Bow to the boatman and ask to sail forth now
Leave the cave's mouth. Don't fear the abyss
Unmoor the ropes and surge south where the dark lours

Onto the shore and on into the labyrinth.
Three-headed one bares his rapier teeth
Lady Annihilation warned me of this.
Look in his yellow eyes; head high; do not flinch

Where is the sealhunter Amaujaq? I ask
Zeus does not know. This is Queen Sedna's domain
Ululijarnaq might know something of this.
Out past an iron door I'll head for the ice plains

I'll find you where emerald bursts light the black sky.
Go to the furthest point north Sedna explains
Follow the harfang's soft wingbeats; the bleached white
Under the jewelled velvet night...

I'll see you again.

 

[bbkobabe]

Here is another one:



A sonnet for JHM3



I can’t believe all those crazy times?

The things you talked me into doing!

Still amazed there weren’t jail or fines

for the crazy notions your head was brewing…



Go-cart driving on the Strand?

At four o’clock - middle of the night!

We sat there laughing on the sand

‘till the Cop Car hit us with the light…



Contact explosives in the glove compartment?

Caught the C.H.P. officer’s attention!

You bluffed him straight to bafflement

with some BS about an equilibrium reaction…



I can’t believe how sad I’m feeling

To think that cancer might end your scheming.



BK 12/22

 

[LorenFL]

Voran, it's not self-indulgent to experience grief and express it in whatever way works for you. I think you should post it on her FB page for her friends and family to see. Whether it's "their style" or not, they will be moved to know that you cared enough to write it.

 

[Voran]

Voran, it's not self-indulgent to experience grief and express it in whatever way works for you. I think you should post it on her FB page for her friends and family to see. Whether it's "their style" or not, they will be moved to know that you cared enough to write it.

Are you sure that's the right thing to do? I worry it would be a bit tasteless to post about the river Styx and three headed hunting dogs. I don't want to upset people.

It's just how I am wired though; as a little kid my mom gifted me a book about Greek mythology and it was forever part of my psyche. I can't write any other way.

I felt very low yesterday thinking of how I used to enjoy talking with her and it came out as that poem.

 

[Voran]

Here is another one:



A sonnet for JHM3



I can’t believe all those crazy times?

The things you talked me into doing!

Still amazed there weren’t jail or fines

for the crazy notions your head was brewing…



Go-cart driving on the Strand?

At four o’clock - middle of the night!

We sat there laughing on the sand

‘till the Cop Car hit us with the light…



Contact explosives in the glove compartment?

Caught the C.H.P. officer’s attention!

You bluffed him straight to bafflement

with some BS about an equilibrium reaction…



I can’t believe how sad I’m feeling

To think that cancer might end your scheming.



BK 12/22

Sounds like a fun friendship. I'm sorry to hear this person suffered cancer

 

[Joyful Uke]

“I felt very low yesterday thinking of how I used to enjoy talking with her and it came out as that poem”

I would think that posting it with your comment that I quoted here would be a good way to express your grief and help others share their own grief as well.

 

[LorenFL]

Yeah, I was thinking the same. If you're concerned about it not being perceived correctly, just give it an introduction. Maybe acknowledge that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but that your friend would have liked it!

Grief is a funny thing. There are no rules.

 

[Voran]

I posted it explaining that I'm sorry if it's not people's cup of tea but its just how my emotions came out.