This is such an incredible piece. Grief, our friend, enemy, silent one, wrenching one that so many shy away from has been shed in a profound and potent light. Thank you. I keep coming back to this and shared it with my beloved who works intimately with grief every day.
Dear Sarit, thank you so much for this reflection. As you are someone who tends to those in the throes of trauma, I take your feedback to heart. And I am honored to know you shared it with your beloved. It is so utterly vulnerable for me to share of myself in this way. Thank you for receiving and reflecting. 💜
Loved it! Totally agree...one of my favorite Jewish sayings is that on Purim, you get so drunk you can't tell Haman from Mordecai...or everything is everything...
Thank you so much, dearest Julie, for taking the time to read this poem and share your agreement and thoughts...and weaving in of Purim themes. Everything is everything. <3
Thank you so much for this beautiful poem Rachel! It is so good to be in your creative company again. I look forward to continuing this life journey with you in your new format. Love you so! Linda-Tree
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and thank you for your sweet words, dear Linda-Tree! It is so good to be together in this way, and I’m grateful that you have joined us here. ❤️🌳❤️
Oh dear Aura Chaya, thank you so much for receiving my poetry, and naming of grace, and inspiration! So much of this whole experience here on Substack exists thanks to your encouragement!
Wow, I love this, and I hear it in your voice (both literally reading it aloud in my mind, and in terms of your writer’s voice). “You are surrounded by a swirl of presence” -- so powerful, intense, and clearly spoken from a place of personal experience. I also knew that this poem reminded me of something I said to my dad just yesterday over text: “Life is full of joy and divinity already, even in the suffering.” I think I may have been saying it more to myself, but anyway, this poem felt like good timing to me.
Mike, thank you so much for taking the time to read my poem, and thank you for offering your reflection. It is a gift to have an offering be received. And I know what you mean about saying something aloud, and realizing you’re the one who needs to hear it.
I’ve come back to this poem and read through it a few more times now. I love discovering little rhymes and flashes of meaning that didn’t surface the first time. This baby’s got depth for sure! A unified message, yet reaching a number of disparate points in artistic space, in human space. Whatever is going on or has gone on for you, I am confident that output like this is helping you process it and make peace with it.
Thank you so much, Mike, for your deep reading and experiencing of this poem. I hold the belief that grief is an expression of love. It saddens me when a person is urged to "move on," as if grieving the loss of a beloved was something to rush through; an disordered state to recover from as quickly as possible. I believe it can be understood as a testament to the depth of love. I wrote this poem to honor a dear friend's experience of having lost a parent.
Wow, that is so incredibly heartfelt and special. I have no words to do it justice. You and your friend are so lucky to have each other.
I'm really starting to see the value of a private creative community like this. Not that I doubted it before, but it's one thing to understand it and another to experience it.
Thank you, Mike. It is for all of us. I have long believed that grief is love, and I am thankful to have written about it, and thankful it resonated for you. So glad the community is feeling of value. This is heartening! Thank you for everything you are contributing to the conversations, with such generosity!
Dearest Mayu, thank you so much for reading my poem, and thank you so much for your sweet and beautiful words! I am so excited to see your sunset pieces in the chat! Thank you for letting me know. 🌅💜
This is such an incredible piece. Grief, our friend, enemy, silent one, wrenching one that so many shy away from has been shed in a profound and potent light. Thank you. I keep coming back to this and shared it with my beloved who works intimately with grief every day.
Dear Sarit, thank you so much for this reflection. As you are someone who tends to those in the throes of trauma, I take your feedback to heart. And I am honored to know you shared it with your beloved. It is so utterly vulnerable for me to share of myself in this way. Thank you for receiving and reflecting. 💜
Loved it! Totally agree...one of my favorite Jewish sayings is that on Purim, you get so drunk you can't tell Haman from Mordecai...or everything is everything...
Thank you so much, dearest Julie, for taking the time to read this poem and share your agreement and thoughts...and weaving in of Purim themes. Everything is everything. <3
Thank you so much for this beautiful poem Rachel! It is so good to be in your creative company again. I look forward to continuing this life journey with you in your new format. Love you so! Linda-Tree
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and thank you for your sweet words, dear Linda-Tree! It is so good to be together in this way, and I’m grateful that you have joined us here. ❤️🌳❤️
This is ambient heart music and medicine. Thank you for your grace.
Oh dear Aura Chaya, thank you so much for receiving my poetry, and naming of grace, and inspiration! So much of this whole experience here on Substack exists thanks to your encouragement!
🫶🏼 An honor and delight, dearest Rachel.
💜💜💜🌹
Wow, I love this, and I hear it in your voice (both literally reading it aloud in my mind, and in terms of your writer’s voice). “You are surrounded by a swirl of presence” -- so powerful, intense, and clearly spoken from a place of personal experience. I also knew that this poem reminded me of something I said to my dad just yesterday over text: “Life is full of joy and divinity already, even in the suffering.” I think I may have been saying it more to myself, but anyway, this poem felt like good timing to me.
Mike, thank you so much for taking the time to read my poem, and thank you for offering your reflection. It is a gift to have an offering be received. And I know what you mean about saying something aloud, and realizing you’re the one who needs to hear it.
I’ve come back to this poem and read through it a few more times now. I love discovering little rhymes and flashes of meaning that didn’t surface the first time. This baby’s got depth for sure! A unified message, yet reaching a number of disparate points in artistic space, in human space. Whatever is going on or has gone on for you, I am confident that output like this is helping you process it and make peace with it.
Thank you so much, Mike, for your deep reading and experiencing of this poem. I hold the belief that grief is an expression of love. It saddens me when a person is urged to "move on," as if grieving the loss of a beloved was something to rush through; an disordered state to recover from as quickly as possible. I believe it can be understood as a testament to the depth of love. I wrote this poem to honor a dear friend's experience of having lost a parent.
Wow, that is so incredibly heartfelt and special. I have no words to do it justice. You and your friend are so lucky to have each other.
I'm really starting to see the value of a private creative community like this. Not that I doubted it before, but it's one thing to understand it and another to experience it.
Can't wait for Monday!!
Thank you, Mike. It is for all of us. I have long believed that grief is love, and I am thankful to have written about it, and thankful it resonated for you. So glad the community is feeling of value. This is heartening! Thank you for everything you are contributing to the conversations, with such generosity!
Dear Rachel,
Thank you so much for sharing those beautiful pieces!
You literally “turned my mourning into dancing” with them.
I will post my sunset pieces inspired by yours in chat.
Dearest Mayu, thank you so much for reading my poem, and thank you so much for your sweet and beautiful words! I am so excited to see your sunset pieces in the chat! Thank you for letting me know. 🌅💜
I felt every word, your poetry always touches my heart & soul.
Marjorie, thank you so much. My heart and soul are touched by your words here as well. 💛✨