Grief is like the ocean; It comes in waves; ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.“ – Vicki Harrison
When death happens in our culture, neighbors, relatives, friends come and mourn with the bereaved. What happens when the 3-4 days of mourning are over and everyone packs their bags to go back to their homes? For most of the bereaved this is when the real mourning begins: when the funeral hymns die down and a silent reflection visits.

If you have ever lost something or someone, how did you cope with the loss? How did you navigate the myriad of emotions, the confusion, the regret, the pain?
Grief visits each one of us differently. No matter how many times we experience loss, it is not something that one can be said to be acquainted with. Grief is not linear. It may be one long dirt road with too many crossroads, often leading back to the very starting point. Does it ever end?
Issue 7 of Ipikai will be edited by Batsirai Chigama.
You will find submission instructions here.
Deadline March 7th 2025.