Poems
After a Tragic Loss
O God, help me to live with my grief!
Death has taken my beloved, and I feel that I cannot go on.
My faith is shaken; my mind keeps asking: Why?
Why does joy end in sorrow?
Why does love exact its price in tears? Why?
O, God, help me to live with my grief!
Help me to accept the mystery of life.
Help me to see that even if my questions were answered,
even if I did know why, the pain would be no less,
the loneliness would remain bitter beyond words.
Still, my heart would ache.
O God, help me to triumph over my grief!
Help me to endure this night of anguish.
Help me to walk through the darkness with faith in tomorrow.
Give me comfort; give me courage; turn me to deeds that bless the living.
O God, help me to triumph over my grief.
~From Bittersweet...hellogoodbye, Volume 2, 1989
Touching our Broken Dreams
Our silent hopes remind us of our broken dreams,
as there are so many things that never came to be.
And, there are so many questions we have asked and never got answers to.
Questions as to the reason it has to be us instead of someone else, questions and fears
as to the chance of it happening again.
Somehow, our questions reflect and put us in touch with the insecurities and mysteries of life,
and we experience our helplessness and our anger in not being in control of it
and our emptiness and sadness in being without it.
And, as we look at the little empty room that was prepared in vain
for life that never came, as we move aimlessly around a house and a world
that now seems too big for us,
as we become depressed because there is no treasure in the world
that can make up for our loss,
we feel again the pain of broken dreams.
The dream about what could have been: The eyes and faces of our silent hopes,
the ways they would have grown, the ways we would have loved them,
the people they would have been.
And, it's hard to believe the silent hopes we remember in the pain today
were so much a part of the promise of our yesterdays.
And yet, those silent hopes gently invite us to learn to dream again.
~From Bittersweet...hellogoodbye, Volume 2, 1989
We Remember Them
This can be used as a litany-type prayer with the group responding, "we remember them." This is a Jewish prayer, but is suitable for all types of religious as well as non-religious memorial services.
In the rising of the sun and in its going down,
we remember them.
In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
we remember them.
In the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring,
we remember them.
In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer,
we remember them.
In the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn,
we remember them.
In the beginning of the year and when it ends,
we remember them.
When we are weary and in need of strength,
we remember them.
When we are lost and sick at heart,
we remember them.
When we have joys we yearn to Share,
we remember them.
So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are
now a part of us, as
we remember them.
Poems for Early Pregnancy Loss
Like a Shooting Star
Author Unknown
Like a shooting star
Passing through the night sky,
Our first baby passed quickly through our lives
Taking with her a lifetime of hopes
And dreams we had for here.
But she has left footprints on our hearts
And brought clarity to our lives.
Energized by our love,
She is guardian of our memories of what was
And our dreams of what someday may be.
I Let Myself Love You
By Shawna Ellis
I let myself love you
As soon as I knew
I let myself love you
But you left too soon
I knew I might lose you
Just like I lost my other
I knew I might lose you
But I am your mother
I wanted to keep you
And watch you grow
I wanted to keep you
But I should have known
I cried when I lost you
Because I loved you from the start
I cried when I lost you
Your death broke my heart
Now I just miss you
I want you here with me
Now I just miss you
My baby unseen
I let myself love you
There was no other way
I let myself love you
But I will meet you one day
Shawna wrote this poem, which was published in Sharing, in memory of her baby she miscarried in May 2003. Shawna and her husband William also experienced miscarriages in April 2002 and October 2003
Just Those Few Weeks
By Susan Erling
For those few weeks -
I had you to myself.
And that seems too short a time
to be changed so profoundly.
In those few weeks -
I came to know you...
and love you too.
You came to trust me with your life.
Oh, what a life I had planned for you!
Just those few weeks -
When I lost you.
I lost a lifetime of hope,
plans, dreams, and aspirations...
A slice of my future simply vanished overnight.
Just those few weeks -
It wasn't enough to convince others
how special and important you were,
How odd, a truly unique person has recently died
and no one is mourning the passing.
Just these few weeks -
And no "normal" person would cry all night
over a tiny, unfinished baby,
or get depressed and withdraw day after endless day.
No one would so why am I?
You were those few weeks my little one
you darted in and out of my life too quickly,
But it seems that's all the time you needed
to make my life so much richer
and give me a small glimpse of eternity.
Other Poems for Grieving Parents
God’s Littlest Angel Passed My Way
Author Unknown
Today I was touched by God's Littlest Angel as He silently passed my way,
He touched my heartstrings and gave me many words to say,
as the smile that he brought to me was frozen upon his face,
Etched upon the images of my mind for forever and a day -
As his little feet were perfect in every way,
As his fingertips already belonged to God, as he only passed this way -
Stardust was sprinkled upon the images of my soul,
mysteriously opening up my mind to the heartbeat
not within my control -
As My Precious Savior and Lord
Wanted my littlest Angel more
to shine within the realm of God'sHeavenlyThrone
becoming God's Messenger throughout Eternity -
As the wind gently blows in the whispers of the night,
And I am sitting all alone thinking of the littlest
One that came within the realms of my being
Almost,
but it wasn't time,
he wasn't mine,
he was God's
but he was divine!
Sharing more with me in this short time than I ever imagined before,
and through God's Magnificent Love He allowed my son's
purity to enter into my soul,
his tiny being, filled with Angelic glow,
changed my life, as nothing ever before,
I am not the person I once was,
As I reverently pray in meditation and solemness,
I know my son is God's littlest angel that awaits
me at Heaven's Gates,
AND
I know that we will re reunited once again
as in my arms he will remain,
when the Lord calls out my name,
and we throughout Eternity together remain –
Heaven’s Playground
By Suzanne McClendon
Precious angel sent to earth,
Did they tell you of your worth?
More than diamonds, rubies or gold,
Only you do I want to hold.
So perfect your beauty as I look into your eyes
That gentle reflection of angels in the skies.
Each day you grew inside me, so big and so strong,
But your time here with me was not to be long.
Oh how my heart aches as I have to say goodbye,
As I let you go back to play in the sky.
Our Butterfly
By Anna Bonadies
It’s so hard to say goodbye
To our precious butterfly
So wanted and so loved
Our hopes and dreams were fulfilled
But you were taken away so soon
Before you got to grow and bloom
Mournful tears fill our eyes
We look to God and ask Him, “Why?”
What reasons could there be
To take my joy away from me?
It’s hard to breathe and hard to be
Our precious Butterfly, now flies free…
Anna wrote "Our Butterfly" in loving memory of Olivia Rose Bonadies, born still on June 13, 2003. It was published in Sharing.
Shining Light
By Carrie Fisher-Pascual
Your life within
So enriched my life without
You introduced me to new love.
I felt it as I touched your tiny hand,
I saw it in the eyes all around you.
But I didn’t understand.
Your quiet stillness
Said you were gone
But the perfection of you
Said God was there all along.
There was no time that day
To Share the dreams,
The moments lost, the life.
But you were there.
My tears spoke longing,
Such sorrow
Knowing you’d be absent
From every tomorrow.
But even in your silence
Your miracle of life,
Like a radiant light shone
Reaching far to others left…Alone.
Days pass, time travels fast
But what remains
Is the missing you.
Yet, I can joy
For you were with me then,
And now…In all I do.
Your life within
So enriched my life without.
Carrie wrote this poem in honor of her daughter, Elena Rebekah Pascual, born still at 21 weeks on August 1, 2002, and it was published in Sharing.
Stillborn
By Linda Kay
Stillborn,
I am not sure I understand.
Is it a babe who is born
In the hush of a morning's breath
Before the birds begin to sing?
No. This is not stillborn, though
We would like it to be.
Is it a babe who is born so quiet,
So still, that the angels hush
Their rustling wings to hear
If she will not draw a tiny breath?
Perhaps. This is very close, but surely,
it means more.
Stillborn,
Born, still in the arms of God.
Stillborn,
Born, still in the full knowledge of
God's love and power,
His glory and grace.
Born, still to us, but alive to God!
Surely this is stillborn:
No death, but life eternal,
No sorrow, but everlasting peace,
No separation, but
communion forever
With God!
Yes, now I understand,
Stillborn...
To the Child in My Heart
Author unknown
O precious, tiny, sweet little one
You will always be to me
So perfect, pure, and innocent
Just as you were meant to be.
We dreamed of you and of your life
And all that if would be
We waited and longed for you to come
And join our family.
We never had the chance to play,
To laugh, to rock, to wiggle.
We long to hold you, touch you now
And listen to you giggle.
I'll always be your mother.
He'll always be your dad.
You will always be our child,
The child that we had.
But now you're gone...but yet you're here.
We'll sense you everywhere.
You are our sorrow and our joy
There's love in every tear.
Just know our love goes deep and strong.
We'll forget you never-
The child we had, but never had,
And yet will have forever.
You are Here
Author unknown
You Are Here
Though you are gone
It is plain to see
You are still here
For all the world to see.
You are here
In each bird I see
Each wind that blows
Thru the top of a tree.
The buds that make
Flowers and leaves each spring
Reflect the beauty
Your memories bring.
Each raindrop that falls
To water the earth
Reminds those left behind
Just how much those memories are worth.
Each snowflake and blade of grass
Are reminders of your loving ways
The trickling of the creeks and streams
Makes us remember you throughout the days.
No matter how little hope we see
Your memory will always help us know
How much you meant to everyone
Who was there to see you grow.
But for the knowledge
That you are here in so many ways
Living without you
Would be but wasted days.
So rest in peace
For this I know
We will meet again one day
When it is my time to go.
Untitled
By Becky Bee
I feel you in my heart.
I know you are with me,
Everywhere,
Each minute of every day.
If you were here physically,
It is quite possible I would not feel as close to you as I do now,
As your eternal being touches my entire soul.
We miss you, of course.
And we will always remember.
We are who we are today,
Because of you.
Your lives were a precious gift,
Your spirit priceless.
Thank you dear sons of mine.
Forever and always,
Mommy.
Becky wrote this poem in memory of her twin sons, Parker (November 11-12, 2000) and Preston (November 11-13, 2000). It was printed in Sharing.
