Echoes of Memories

This poem came out of my grieving process when I lost my Dad in January 2011.

Death, for the living, is strange

Someone you love is there
even if they aren’t a part
of your every day life
and then

Suddenly the world goes “poof!”
and they aren’t there anymore
just echoes of memories

And then your world changes
and even when they weren’t an every day part
now their not-there-ness is

You remember them more
the good times
the not-so-good times
the times-that-made-you-laugh-so-hard-you-cried times

And you want to pick up the phone
to hear their voice
but all you can do is listen
to the echo of their voice
bounce around inside your head