You only get a minute.
The stone has not been set.
Before you hear the question,
“Are you seeing someone yet?”
You have not filed the insurance,
transferred a single bond
before they sing the litany,
“Remember life goes on.”
It’s not the lonely evenings
that strike terror in your breast.
It’s the envelopes that come addressed
to “Ms. You and your Guest.”
The delemma’s not just grieving
or even what to wear
but where you find a body
to escort you to affairs.
They say you’re far too fussy.
There is nothing much out there.
They use as their criteria
if a man can breathe and stare.
I’d run away to Tonga,
Abu Dhabi or Tibet,
but I know that someone there would ask,
“Are you seeing someone yet?”
If you find yourself a widow,
start wailing right away.
You only get a minute
before you have to play.
When Your Husband Has Died – A Survival Guide
This poem is the prologue to Reflections from a Woman Alone by Corinne Edwards
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s a lovely poem, Corinne, about love lost to death. But with respect to you and your fine poem, I suggest:
“The delemma’s not just grieving”
In misery you can’t share
“But where to find a body”
You can love again and care.
Hi Reed -
I think you should include some poetry in your new book. You are good at it.
Nice suggestion.
Corinne: You’re very kind, but NOT as good at it as YOU are!
Haven’t seen any postings in a while. It has been a little over a year for me. Still hard at times. The memories are slowly fading – can’t remember his face at times without looking at pictures – which I do quite often, can’t remember the sound of his voice either. LIfe has been difficult this past year without him. My older son is having such a hard time rasing his 2 & 4 year olds sons on his own since his wife left. I worry for him that he doesn’t have a nervous breakdown. Stress of his job and not getting laid off, the stress of raising the boys by himself for the most part (I help out when I can – probably not as much as I should or could). All this without my support system – Paul. Life is so NOT FAIR! Everything just spiralled down since his death and I feel like such a “misfit.”
Family thinks ’cause it has been a year that I am “healed.” Not so.
Does it get better? Will I smell the roses again? I dispise people at work with spouses and hate to hear about their weekends, trips, plans for the future, just going home to someone! I feel bad that I feel this way. Not right. I should dispise them because their spouse was not torn away from them.
Pls keep me in your prayers.
For the few that responded to my post, I thank you. My prayers are with you and yours. Keep keeping on……there may be more out there than you now know, because God promises he is with us always and has your life planned out for you I keep waiting for him to tell me where to go from here…..still waiting.