It was never supposed to have happened
His life, the way it did
Beginning from nothing, and eventually
returning to exactly the same
I knew him my whole life
Never for a moment were we apart
His death, the way it came
Without warning, without purpose
One moment, there was breath and life, and
in the next, it was gone
Everything lived, and
everything ever imagined
They cried for him, even those with dry eyes
Especially those with no tears
For their unfinished business bound them forever
to all they held onto
All that remained on the ground
Just above his grave
In a way, I am glad he is gone
His pain was too great
Not just for him, but all of us
The saddest part for me–
No way to say goodbye
No way to fill what always will be empty
Poetic Alchemist 
Gautami: Thank you. It is about letting go, even when it continues to hurt. That is kind of the way it is in life. I will check out the “tag.”
Glad you like the new blog look. I get bored with the look and change it from time to time. This is a nice clear blog face, btu it does not have some of the bells and whistes over blog skins have.
I like the new look of the blog. It is very inviting.
This is so very deep. Very painful. I like the ending of letting go even though one is sad.
Don, I have tagged you. Hope you don’t mind. As it is about poetry, you will like it. Do check it out here: 10 to 10
Aurora: Thanks so much. Those things we love become a part of us — people, places, even our poems.
Ditto Andrew. The power of the grief and in these words are very potent.
Dan: Thanks. Good talking with you today.
Polona: Thanks and glad you enjoyed this one.
Ricardas: Thanks. Appreciate your comment.
beautifully sad and very intense. I liked it.
that was beautifully written, don. one can feel the grief in your words.
Thanks, Don. And thanks all.
Thanks Andrew. Yes, this one is riddled with pain, and we both know…that too is a part of life…unfortunately. Hope you are well.
Joanne: Thanks for stopping, reading and commenting. There is both of what you point to in your comment. Hope things are well for you.
Your poem can be interpreted in different ways. It has a quality to it of mourning certainly, of regret for the goodbye never said to another person in its most literal sense, something we can all probably relate to at one time or another…and one could also read this poem to be a dying off of a part of self, that point in a spiritual process in which a person can enter such a dark void with a sense of lostness, grief, even desperation, the “dark night of the soul”, where feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and separation are powerful and very intense, many times causing grief to others as well for the “loss” of the person they once knew.
As always, Don, you give much to think about, and much to feel and experience in your writing.
This is so powerful! I was taken into it and felt the pain, even though I didn’t even know this person. Wonderful writing.