GRIEF SEEDS by Kalindi Dinoffer

 

Grief Seeds

by Kalindi Dinoffer 

Oh death!

I feel the grief seeds

tugging at my heart.

I cry out

why

why

oh death

must you take 

so many loved ones?

Don't you see

mothers crying,

daughters lamenting, 

lovers lost

adrift without their beloved, 

wives broken, 

husbands weeping,

children without parents,

parents without children? 

Oh death!

I don't fear you.

Not for me anyway-

dying I mean.

But losing loved ones

my heart can't bear it

for myself

and others 

take me

not them. 

I would offer myself

as a sacrifice 

if it would stop the pain

of all the parents, children

friends, lovers, siblings

losing their loved ones'

beautiful company

in this life.

Oh death!

As the seeds of grief

take root and bury deep 

in the hearts

of those that have 

lost so much, 

I wonder

what will grow 

from these seeds?

Are you trying to teach us

about the preciousness

of life?

How delicate

and incredible 

each flower is,

so that 

we remember

each day

to shower 

each flower

around us:

each flower 

we love,

each flower we meet,

with care, and love,

and tenderness, 

not knowing 

when it will be 

that flower's 

final moments 

under the sun,

before its petals fall

and leaves wither

until nothing is left

but it's scattered seeds

in the hearts of all

who loved it.

Oh, death!

We beg you

for more time 

with our loved ones.

But really 

it's never enough, is it?

Whether they are taken 

young or old,

slowly or suddenly,

it's never enough.

All we can do

is savor each moment 

and hold tight to the precious 

seeds of love- 

of loved ones gone,

blooming forever 

in our hearts.

Kalindi Dinoffer grew up in a Bhakti yoga community and has been writing poetry since she was a young girl. Kalindi is trained in mindfulness and mindful self-compassion, sharing on her blog MindfulKalindi.com. She is also a yoga instructor and is trained in reiki, and myofascial release therapy as well. Kalindi played competitive tennis growing up and graduated summa cum laude from Southern Methodist University and now serves as Chief Marketing Officer for her family business OnCourtOffCourt.com, a leading supplier of tennis, pickleball, fitness and yoga training aids and equipment. Kalindi has been published in leading magazines and conducted workshops at conferences around the world. In her spare time, Kalindi enjoys reading and writing of course as well as activities such as tennis, ping pong, hiking and biking.

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