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Home » Poetry » Issue 7 » choices made in grief

choices made in grief

when the funeral wake finally subsides,
and the last mourners depart,
the crushing weight of solitude descends,
a harsh reminder that you are truly alone.

in the silence, your heart confesses
a secret wish for the vigil to linger,
for the presence of others
to deceive you into thinking you’re not alone.

When solitude arrives,
some try to drown it in gin or wine,
while others seek solace in the shadows
of tsikamutanda. some find comfort
in crowded church pews,
while others, alone, cry out to the maker.

some choose to indulge in different vices,
hoping to fill the void,
only to find themselves lost
in their attempt to find themselves.

Has it not been a lesson to learn?
death’s poison carries its own antidote,
but wisdom lies in choosing
that which leaves you standing,
and not fallen.