Community Poem I: One word.

One Word
by the community

Opened.
Connected.
Abundant.
Miraculous!
Cherished.
Precious.
Daughter.
Beautiful.
               Love.

Fire.
Unimaginable.
Unbearable.
Fury.
Cruel.
Vulnerable.
Rage. 
               Raw.

Yearn.
Anger.
Forever.
Hole.
Changed.
Tortured.
               Why?

Pointless.
Empty.
Random.
Distant.
Jaded.
               Relentless.

Searches.
Borrowed.
Lonely.
Broken.
               Missed.

Tender.
Absent.
Lost.
               Sad.

Dust.
Almost.

Love.

               (A friend told me,
               hesitantly,
               afraid of offending,
               that I was changed.
               She told me that now I am different.
               And I was grateful
               that she noticed.)

:::

about this piece
Community Poem I: One word was written by forty-two men and women who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal loss. People were asked to submit one word describing some aspect of their grief experience--who they are or have become, their baby, their loss, their grief, their next phase, the grief community, a support person or just a word that rings true to them throughout this journey. The words were compiled into a single poem.

about the contributor
Contributors by their on-line pseudonym or real life name include: a few Anonymous contributors, Beth, AfterIris, Bree, HereWeGoAJen, CLC, Beth, Franchesca Cox, Sophie, Tracey, k@lakly, Jen, Hope's Mama, clevergirl, myskytimes, Jeanette, TracyOC, Ezra's Mommy, Dani819, Barbara, forwardtumble, MK, Jill, Allison (Ali), Audrey, Erica, kb, Jenni, Paige, Mimmy, AnnaMarie, Catherine W, Tina, Fireflyforever, Lareina, Lani, m, Sara, IrishDad, Angie and Erika P., who wrote the last perfect stanza.

Community poem will be a regular feature of still life 365. Next community poem theme and rules will be posted on January 25th for the February 1st post.