Beautiful Bittersweet Life Poems

Exploring the world of life and grief through poetry.

Category: Creativity

  • Relentless Appreciation

    Relentless Appreciation

    Finding Joy After Loss

    When the heart breaks open from the searing pain of
    unbearable loss and the walls crumble to the ground,
    the unimaginable happens:
    relentless appreciation for what is left behind.
    It streams from my soul with the force of a tsunami.
    My love for those I meet in person and online has grown,
    and I feel joy when I spend time in their presence.
    My soul is filled with peace as I traverse the garden path,
    captivated by the beauty of the flowering plants
    and the perfumed, soaked air they create.
    I watch the flying creatures with fascination as they busy themselves finding food and building homes.
    I love the sound of birdsong, whether I’m wandering outside
    or enjoying their symphony from inside my home.
    For knowing there is but a short time
    between birth and death, I breathe in deeply
    all that life has to offer me.

  • Rising From The Ashes

    Rising From The Ashes

    I was sure that the ashes of the life that I had
    before my husband died would bury me alive.
    The dull embers of what was left behind,
    were threatened with extinction by the weight of grief
    that encompassed my soul,
    making each step, each decision exhausting,
    as I traveled this world without my partner.

    And yet, with time and tears, the weight began to lift
    as I reentered life.
    No longer the woman I was,
    for she will never exist again.
    Instead, I had to find another me,
    with memories of my previous life
    serving as an anchor,
    and sails to set me on my new course.

    If I had made a vision board,
    none of the endeavors I would try
    would have been within the scope of my imagination.
    It was only when I was willing to say yes to life,
    full of trepidation and anxiety, my world began to grow.
    With each new adventure, I gained confidence.
    My mantra became, “I’ve already lived through the
    most painful episode in my life, how can anything be worse?”
    The grief was still a companion,
    but so was the joy of learning to be creative,
    which has provided the most healing
    for my broken heart.

  • Befriending Tears

    Befriending Tears

    Inspired by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer’s poem, “Gold Medal”

    “Don’t cry,” they said. “They wouldn’t want you to be sad.”
    So, I hid my tears in the solitude of my room,
    away from prying eyes.
    Not wanting to upset someone else.
    Wanting to appear strong for those who counted on me.
    For I remember seeing the infrequent tears of my parents,
    and how distressing it was for me.
    But hiding my sorrow was a disservice
    to those I love and myself.
    For crying and strength are compatriots,
    part of being human.
    And though I’ve been a sensitive soul
    who has wept easily most of my life,
    I no longer feel the need to be in the closet.
    For there are so many things that bring tears to my eyes.
    Acts of kindness are always at the top of the list.
    The songs that touch my heart,
    sometimes for their mere beauty
    or because they bring back a bittersweet memory.
    The beauty that exists in nature.
    Or tears that come unbidden when I ache
    for my loved ones who are no longer here.
    Being my authentic self means
    that not only am I free to express my tears,
    but I also laugh from the depth of my being,
    and love with the intensity of a million suns.

  • How Community Heals the Soul

    How Community Heals the Soul

    When the world feels so dark,
    caving in with relentless bad news,
    for that is what lifts the ratings
    and increases revenues,
    but at what cost?
    It’s then that I shut the news down,
    and walk away from doom scrolling,
    turning to the communities that
    refresh my soul and hold me in safety.
    When I open the door to my people,
    whether online or in person,
    I feel peace settle over my heart
    as I take in all those beautiful faces,
    their love washing over me.
    The vitriol of society is forbidden entrance,
    as those who want to bring light gather.
    Each circle that I’ve joined has changed me for the better,
    providing hope that when we unite with the intention
    of love and support, we can truly be our better angels.

  • Stumbled Upon: Embracing Life’s Unplanned Adventures

    Stumbled Upon: Embracing Life’s Unplanned Adventures

    When I sit down to write my autobiography,
    I will title it Stumbled Upon.
    For it is this unplanned life
    that sent me veering onto a path
    of unimaginable adventures.
    Often, I was catapulted by a lifequake*,
    brought on by the death of my husband,
    which left me adrift.
    And yet, I somehow found my footing.
    The steps were heavy amid the grief,
    but I kept walking and my steps grew lighter.
    Photography became a saving grace,
    as a continued bond to my husband,
    and kept me in the present moment
    when my eye was focused in the viewfinder.
    From capturing the beauty of nature to
    going to bars, something I hadn’t done since I was in my twenties,
    to photograph musicians as they played
    opened a forgotten part of my life that brought
    me both joy and finding kind people I call friends.
    By using my photography email, I ended up
    being the photographer for the Phoenix Film Festival.
    I’d never done event photography,
    but my saying yes to the unknown
    opened the world of independent films,
    filmmakers, and new friendships
    with festival attendees and volunteers.
    All these experiences led me to participate in
    a storytelling event on how my life had come
    full circle with my husband, photography and music.
    I stood on a stage where I had spent so many
    hours capturing musicians at work,
    sharing my story by heart
    with a few butterflies stirring in my stomach.
    As time goes on, and I adjust
    to my body’s capabilities,
    I have found new ways to feed the creative beast that lives within.
    Now, I spend my days expressing myself with art and improv.
    The beauty of letting go of a planned life
    is the richness that I never imagined
    and the communities that I have become a part of.

    *Lifequakes is a term coined by Bruce Feiler in his book Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age

    Photo credit: Neil Schwartz