Ambiguous Grief

Gone before they’re gone

Losing relationships

Our connections of being

Gone before they’re gone

Losing recognition

Our shared faces of knowing

Gone before their gone

Losing locations, displacement

Our disappearance of kin

Gone before they’re gone

Losing will to live

Depression’s leak of chi

Gone before they’re gone

Losing body sovereignty

Imprisoned paralysis

Gone before they’re gone

Losing self determination

Power stolen by addictions

Ambiguous grief insidious presence

Losses unmarked by society

Gone before they’re gone

Ambiguous grief subtly of release

Losses unreconciled by hearts

Gone before they’re gone

All the while with the body of human

still above ground—

Gone before they’re gone

All the while with the body of endangered

species still in existence

Gone before they’re gone

All the while with the body of earth

still absorbing changes of the climate crisis

The Painful hope

that what was lost will return,

The Confusing grief

that what was lost cannot be fully mourned

Gone before they’re gone

Leaves a door open—a grief leak

Without container

Without ceremony

Without closure

Ambiguous grief

A Leaking, losing of parts

We see you

We name you

We honor you

Our losses unreconciled by hearts

Painful grief, Confusing hope

Painful hope, Confusing grief

Ambiguous grief

We make a ritual to hold you—

And heal into wholeness