Voices of the Grieving Heart

Grieving the death of someone we loved is the darkest road many of us will ever travel.Each of us must find our own path as we navigate the uncharted territory of our new lives. Voices of the Grieving Heart isnt a map; its a companion on that difficult journey. On these pages are the voices of 83 people who traveled their own roads through grief after their loved ones died. Along the way they wrote poems about what they felt experienced and learned.Voices of the Grieving Heart doesnt tell readers what to do or how they should feel. Instead the contributors to this book generously offer their own truths in hopes that they might help someone else. This unique volume contains over 160 selected poems short narratives and images by 83 contributors who share their journeys through loss grief and transformation including: Deaths due to suicide miscarriage and stillbirth COVID-19 and other causesReflections on grief from contributors whose losses happened decades agoPrompts and blank pages for readers to add their own poetry if they chooseThis beautiful book speaks directly to the heart. If you are grieving the loss of someone you love it will help to validate your experience and feelings. It is as personal as it is universal.-Debbie Augenthaler LMHC NCC Author of You Are Not Alone5-Star Readers Favorite ReviewIts a tribe of individuals coming together as a collective in solidarity and in grief but also in hope. It is permission to take all the time and space necessary to accept life moving forward with a chunk of your heart missing but also a bit of hand-holding so you know that when you are ready there are others willing to listen. This is a beautiful anthology of work and I imagine many will find solace in its beautiful effort to help heal.From the Back Cover: When Mike Bernhardts wife died he turned to writing poetry as a tool of healing. He later solicited the poetry of other people whose loved ones had died and received hundreds of submissions from around the world. The result was Voices of the Grieving Heart first published in 1994. More than just an anthology of poetry it is a companion on the darkest road many of us will ever have to travel: grieving the death of someone we loved.This 30th anniversary expanded edition contains over 130 selected poems by 80 writers who authentically share their journeys through loss grief and transformation including: Deaths due to suicide stillbirth COVID-19 and other circumstancesReflections on grief 30 years later from contributors to the first edition of this bookBlank pages for readers to add their own poetry with suggestions for how to begin writingThis beautiful book speaks directly to the heart with moving and powerful poetry from people who generously share their journeys of love loss healing and hope.Debbie Augenthaler LMHC NCC Author of You Are Not AloneIn an age where grief is made more complex by pandemic isolation Voices of the Grieving Heart embraces readers within a healing community where one hears their own voice emerging from the words of others.Joe DeSantis Chaplain Samaritan Life-Enhancing Care