Chronic Bereavement

Chronic bereavement

What ever does that mean

It is difficult to glean

A meaning to that then

Mourning over and over again

Grief persisting for a long time

And what gives us a sign,

Not the something written on the wall

Maybe it’s medicating with drugs and alcohol

Living life flat, isolating, a crying spell

And let’s not dwell

On what brings us to the crisis shelter today

Is it complicated grief some will say

Some say depression is what brings me in, it’s

voices saying it may be time to call it quits

I know that isn’t the answer

The term I’m told comes from a time when HIV/AIDS was here

Alive and well and killing people

I saw alot of that church steeple

One loved one and then another, most were young adults

There were many, many painful shouts

A person’s whole group of friends could be wiped out.

I really wanted to shout

when just two of my friends died during this terrible time and did I cry and whine

I didn’t feel like I would ever get through that but I did and sometimes even did shine.

The pandemic reminds me of this time and I can get scared and worry too much of the time

I’m 67 this year and there is always more to come to an end

Trauma, grief and loss has me always at mend

This year I am practicing our first two medicines again and again.

Each and every day and then

Laughter and tears to keep the depression at bay

I won’t ever go back to stay

Anxiety, panic and depression can take your breath away

Chronic bereavement is not here to stay

For this old gal

I talk to my pal

And I can let it be

There are other ways too you see

Even when it is not going anywhere

I will share

About having EMDR

It was helpful by far

The best thing I ran into and so much better than the bar.

I know that my loved ones will tell you that it is so much nicer

To have moved on and I know my ancestors would be happy for sure.

I was promised that if I do this work, it will heal my ancestors and generations to come

Now isn’t that just enough to make you want to hum