A Mother’s Grief

By: Joy Toro

 

The context of this poem is capturing the mother who is imagining herself the day of her son’s funeral – a torment and a necessary psychological preparation. 

 

 

 

The day has come

I had hoped to not see

Dressed in sadness

Black lace hides my weary eyes

 

I remember you

In this very house

Full of light

Always the happy child

 

Not so long ago

Though my body shows otherwise

Recent memories

Not so bright

 

So many restless nights

Will you be coming home?

In jail or in the street?

My sleep will be light until I know you’re alright

 

We had many dreams

We did all the right things

What darkness were you hiding?

What caused you to hurt?

 

I’ve mourned you for so long

My ache turned dull

The laughing child, I knew

Lost long before today

 

You drank your pain away

To know relief

However brief

I say good-bye

 

I sigh

I cry

 

I now know relief, too

Today, I do not worry

 

Though no longer here
I know where you are

 

 

 

Bio: Joy Toro

 

I’ve loved writing, words, and language for as long as I can remember. After college, most of my writing was work-related, which didn’t fulfill the creative writing itch. 

After some time, via a connection at Well of Mercy, a wonderful retreat area outside of Charlotte, NC, I was in touch with a writing coach who helped me see writing in a new light. This gift of a new perception helped me get away from perfectionist tendencies, which were also holding me back.

Now I write with a new spirit. One project is a story of my father’s life based on several years of interviews with him. 

I also enjoy poetry-that the words can be brief, poignant-there’s a freeness there. In addition to these projects, I like doing travel and restaurant reviews for different websites.

Nature, especially walking in the forest, re-energizes me. I have a passion for the environment, animals, and education and am looking into ways to bring certain educational and environmental organizations together to benefit current and future generations.

Themes in my writing usually are around nature, aging, and the impact of substance abuse on families.

 

Writing, and recovery heals the heart. 

 

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