Beautiful Bittersweet Life Poems

Exploring the world of life and grief through poetry.

Tag: Resiliance

  • Blank Page

    Blank Page

    The daunting blank page
    holds an invitation to create.
    It embodies endless possibilities.
    It gives space to the words that
    Have been longing for a place
    To escape their home in my mind.
    It beckons the paintbrush
    That lingers in the air to let go of perfection
    And follow the vibrant colors where they lead.
    The white sheet whispers, “Transform me.”

    I’m that paper, forever being shaped and reformed.
    I may just see the blink, blink, blinking of the cursor
    Demanding to be filled with something, anything
    As my hands hover over the keyboard.
    Sometimes, the colors of my mind are
    The steel gray of a rainy, wind-swept day.
    The promise of life is that it will change
    And bright colors and words will emerge.
    In their own time. Patience, my dear.

  • Under Construction

    Under Construction

    The blockades are set up
    And the caution tape skitters in the breeze
    Warning, merge left, merge right
    Detour this way,
    This road is under construction
    Until further notice.

    It’s uncomfortable having the road torn up,
    Reshaped, uncertain of what it will look like.
    Every day the street looks messier.
    Will it be days, months, years
    until it is back to normal and
    traffic adjustments and restraints are done?

    How glorious it is when
    The barricades are removed.
    The wheels move smoothly over
    The fresh black tar roads, relief replacing
    Frustration and despair.

    I will find joy in driving on this
    Quiet road for as long as it lasts,
    Knowing that potholes will return,
    And it will be upended again.

    This poem was inspired by the continual road construction that is going on. I always feel a sense of frustration with the delays. Then I turn it inwards, reflecting on how my life is constantly under construction. Those times are often overwhelming, and I wish I could skip them. But once I’ve walked through those changes, I come out feeling and functioning better than when I started. This perspective also helps me when I must undergo another excavation, knowing that I will continue to grow.

  • The Cliffs of Meáin

    The Cliffs of Meáin

    (Inspired by the colossal waves that crash against the cliffs
    of Meáin, Ireland reel by @hardwire_media on Instagram.)

    I stand steadfast along the shore
    My limestone walls towering over the water,
    facing the onslaught of colossal waves.
    They crash repeatedly against my sides,
    Carving me, changing me.
    They seek the fossils that lie inside of me,
    The secret tale of how I have stayed standing after
    Their ferocious attacks.
    I used to resist their merciless assaults,
    Crying out why, why, why.
    They did not heed my call,
    But continued their battery
    Until one day, I stopped asking.
    Instead, I breathed deeply while they
    Retreated for a moment’s rest
    And looked at who I’ve become.
    The rough surfaces that once held the pain so near
    Have been smoothed over
    Softened by the salty water,
    Leaving room for love to burst out to meet their force.
    I will stand and be shaped, no longer resisting.
    Instead, I will welcome this life, knowing that
    I have the strength to weather the storm.