When I am Gone

For B.R. Written after his suicide.

When I am gone let there not be questions,

gloomy reminders of the why and how,

tedious tensions that force slips of memory,

disregarding the delicate balance of breath and heartbeat.

 

Think of me, if ever, in the face of obscurity,

a dusky haze just before the sun dips below the skyline, or

the first flushed ray as morning collides with the horizon,

signaling the creation of something new, something hopeful.

 

Do not think of me as the heavy brume

blotting away your mirth, dismantling your contentment,

for I would rather be forgotten than the cause of torment,

or the immutable purveyor of imbalanced thoughts.

 

When I am gone let your mind take journey

to the serene meadows and sprawling groves,

where I will be waiting to take your hand and reveal eternity;

whole and beautiful, open armed and beaming. 

Author's Note

This was written after the suicide of someone very close to me...a little for myself and also for his family.

Reviews

[Lost, n'MT]

This was so painful to read because it really hits homes and I am deeply sorry for your loss. Thank you for having the strength and courage to share this very emotional piece... If one life can be saved from reading this, as so many have gone through so many similar struggles that still contemplating acting out of their pain and suffering.

I can't imagine the pain you have endured, and must still feel even all these years later.. This is excellently expressed and well written, and you really captured everything beautifully even though I can feel the deep profound sadness it must have taken to write this, let alone survive it...

[Art]

a sad poem...and yet it has a bit of a joyous ending...

nice work...

[The Analog Kid]

Some beautiful lines in here. Nice tribute to your friend.

[Tate Morgan]

Excellant I love it

[Alex Zynder]

this is like something out of my own head, except expressed much much better, very beautiful, i especially like the third stanza

[Crowley]

Super good...a nice tribute.

[Poetic Beauty]

This is tastefully done and very touching. I think you did great justice to your friend and how "they" would want to be remembered. I know this poem had to be hard to write but your expression of love towards this person shows threw. The flow of the poem is almost as beautiful as the words that you had planted on the paper. great job. sorry for your loss!

[W.k.kortas]

A very fine valedictory piece. The tone is warm and wistful without being cloying, and it doesn't give way to weepiness or end up buried in sentimentality, which, given the form and the subject matter, would have been a very easy trap to fall into. A very nice piece of writing.

[Bette]

beautiful.

[Sarah]

i really liked the line "id rather be forgotten then the cause for torment."
thats usually what all suicidal or dead people in that matter think before they die. they dont want to cause anyone anguish. they just want to be missed and thought about once in a while. great poem. i liked it a lot :D