On May 27, 2025 my Wife, Rachelle, my Partner, my Love and Best Friend passed
away from this life into her eternal home in Heaven. We had been together for 53
years, with over 50 of those years as husband and wife. After she died I began to slip
away into a state of deep grief. Unknowingly my mind reacted uniquely and probably
not so different than others who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
away from this life into her eternal home in Heaven. We had been together for 53
years, with over 50 of those years as husband and wife. After she died I began to slip
away into a state of deep grief. Unknowingly my mind reacted uniquely and probably
not so different than others who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
It seems my self-conscious mind was working overtime to ease some of my pain
that I was feeling. I would wake up in the middle of the night and a phrase or just a
couple of words would be stuck in my head. Sometimes these thoughts were from
dreams where my wife would be present and almost seem like she was talking to me.
Those words or phrase would not let me fall back asleep. Instead I would pick up my
iPad and type them out. Before I knew it, in about a half an hour or so I had written a
poem expressing my feelings at that time.
that I was feeling. I would wake up in the middle of the night and a phrase or just a
couple of words would be stuck in my head. Sometimes these thoughts were from
dreams where my wife would be present and almost seem like she was talking to me.
Those words or phrase would not let me fall back asleep. Instead I would pick up my
iPad and type them out. Before I knew it, in about a half an hour or so I had written a
poem expressing my feelings at that time.
Needless to say this phenomena has not gone away. It seems to dissipate for a
while and then reappears and I find myself writing another poem. In retrospect I see that
these poems have been an outlet of sorts for me. They allowed me to release my inner
feelings and emotions and tears and deal with my own personal grief of losing the most
loved and important person in my life.
As I would finish a poem, I would send a copy to my children. My youngest
daughter, Theresa, decided to put all my poems into a booklet form in chronological
order of when they were first written. I believe you will note that there is a definite
progression in the poems towards acceptance and healing. I'm still not there yet. It's been
five months since my wife died as I am writing this introduction to my poetry. I find that
with each poem I write a little piece of me is slowly returning to the new me. I say new
because I know I will never be the same person I was before Rachelle died. I am slowly
beginning to realize that that's the new normal and I need to just accept it.
It is my hope that if you are reading these poems because of the loss of a loved
one that they will assist you in your own personal journey with this entity called GRIEF.
Unfortunately if you have loved, you will experience grief.
one that they will assist you in your own personal journey with this entity called GRIEF.
Unfortunately if you have loved, you will experience grief.
