‘The little pricks and the apocalypse’: A poem on losing a father, friend, and pillar of strength

Anyone who has felt the relentless pangs of grief upon losing someone truly precious would know the frisson of pain that courses through your veins at the very mention of that person’s name. Though mortality is a universal aspect of the human condition, we tend to experience the reality and finality of death in distinctly personal ways. Still, there are common threads in this shared experience, binding us together and affirming our collective humanity. This poem, divided into five parts (first part below) explores a daughter’s struggle to come to terms with the loss of her father, her rock and ultimate refuge. It is a contemplation on a gamut of themes: death, sorrow, loneliness, remembrance, and a reconciliation with the fact of impermanence. It can be viewed as a tribute to all the parents who have devoted their lives to caring for their children. For anyone who is steeped in mourning, the poem holds out the hope that all is not lost even when our world comes crashing down. Life is long and we eventually regain the strength and purpose to go on.

– A note from the poet.

Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.

Death Comes Calling...

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