2 thoughts on “What Comes After Grief?”

1. For some reason, this led me to look again at Emily Dickinson’s poem on this subject, Alice. She covers a lot more of the territory before getting to the release you talk about here–but release there is eventually, as you so rightly say. Here’s the poem:

   After great pain, a formal feeling comes – (372)
   BY EMILY DICKINSON

   After great pain, a formal feeling comes –
   The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs –
   The stiff Heart questions ‘was it He, that bore,’
   And ‘Yesterday, or Centuries before’?

   The Feet, mechanical, go round –
   A Wooden way
   Of Ground, or Air, or Ought –
   Regardless grown,
   A Quartz contentment, like a stone –

   This is the Hour of Lead –
   Remembered, if outlived,
   As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow –
   First – Chill – then Stupor – then the letting go –

   LikeLiked by 1 person

   Reply

   1. Touching. I didn’t know that poem. Thank you for sharing.

      LikeLike

      Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.