Time Doesn’t Heal

Time Doesn’t Heal poem by Iris Carden

They say time heals all wounds 
but that's really not the truth.
It's a well-intentioned, but
ultimately cruel, myth.

When we first hear the awful news
someone we love is lost, 
we find ourselves faced with 
an unbelieving shock.

When shock dissipates,
we are left with unbearable pain.
Every thought, and every word,
brings the pain back again.

When the pain is older
we start to get the chance,
to put things in perspective,
and begin the emotional dance.

We move from grief to anger,
to depression and back to pain.
We dance from one feeling to another,
and dance our way back again.

It seems to be unending
as we bounce to and fro.
Until the avalanche of emotion
finally begins to slow.

This is what time does for us,
though hard to see when grief is new,
it gives us a chance to learn 
to live with loss we can't undo.

The pain will always be there,
though not harsh as at first.
We learn to savour memories
when grief's no longer at its worst.

As time moves on and more of life
follows on after what we've lost,
the tinge of sadness never goes,
but love's what we remember most.

Deep within our hidden hearts, 
the pain of loss can't remove,
the joy and happiness we felt,
the reasons why we loved.

There can be joy again
though loss can't be undone.
There can be peace and hope,
there's even a chance for fun!

Time doesn't heal all wounds,
but it does give us the space,
to reflect and to move forward,
and let love take grief's place.

And while our memories
will be sad as well as sweet,
we can trust to love to hold us close
until we once more meet.

While you’re here…

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