The Tragedy Lives On

©2019 Susan Noyes Anderson

image by Annelies Geneyn on Unsplash

But here is the thought that breaks me,
the grief that overtakes me.
In this world, you have left a hole,
unfillable by any soul,
the loss far more than mine to bear;
a wealth of worth was yours to share,
and minus you, a void exists…
your mind, your heart, your wisdom missed.

Nobody now knows what you knew,
sees with your eyes, does what you’d do,
thinks with your brain, hears with your ears,
loves what you loved. It all disappears.
Your spirit lives on…thank the Lord,
but one truth cannot be ignored:
Your absence leaves an empty space,
makes of this world a poorer place.

Oh, that your life could yet be lived!
Each priceless gift you had to give
was valued more than words express.
Now we are left to merely guess
what legacy you might have left.
You were a force. And we? Bereft.
Uniquely unerasable,
you, Todd, are irreplaceable.

And thus, the tragedy lives on…
The world needs you, but you are gone.

∞§∞

If this poem speaks to you, you might also enjoy “Empty Spaces” and “The Boy in You”.

You can find more of my poems on death, loss and grieving here.

Related Poems:

Reflections at Close of Day, for Todd A Mother’s Mourning Taking Down the House Grave Concerns