ATTENTION GRIEVANCE IN EFFECT
Interim Directives for Navigating Loss
All personnel are hereby notified.
Your routines may fail to sustain continuity.
Absences of the departed have been recorded.
Expect prolonged periods of emptiness.
🖤 💔
Do not attempt forced restoration.
Compliance with sorrow is mandatory.
Resistance may produce system-wide fatigue
and unauthorized tremors of spirit.
🖤 💔
Visitors are cautioned.
Approach with restraint.
Language of encouragement may exacerbate instability.
Presence alone is authorized.
🖤 💔
Previous metrics for normal operation are suspended.
Time may elongate without notice.
Objects once familiar will register as hollow.
Silence will arrive uninvited,
and conversations will fracture beneath the burdens of what is lost.
🖤 💔
Be advised.
Optimism as a corrective measure is null.
Attempted cheer may trigger secondary complications,
anger, guilt, sudden tears.
🖤 💔
Recovery is neither scheduled nor guaranteed.
Patience is recommended.
Self-care protocols are authorized,
though efficacy varies.
🖤 💔
This condition remains in effect indefinitely.
All attempts at compliance with expected conduct
will be measured against an altered standard.
Residents are advised to monitor their internal thresholds,
and recognize that prolonged disruption is sanctioned,
necessary, inevitable.
Issued by Authority of Absence Management.
About the Creator
Tim Carmichael
Tim is an Appalachian poet and cookbook author. He writes about rural life, family, and the places he grew up around. His poetry and essays have appeared in Beautiful and Brutal Things, his latest book.
Keep reading
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Comments (12)
This is a hard one, Tim. It is a difficulty that needs focus whilst not being in the midst of it, and that makes this a great medium for addressing an awful time. It's never easy and doesn't come with instructions. Not sure if they'd help much. Glad this one placed to get a lot more visibility. Congratulations on your win!
Grief is such a difficult thing. My niece and nephew are struggling with the recent murder of a friend who was more like a brother. Allowing them ample time and space has been key. This is an emotional piece, here, Tim, and your chosen image confirms the haunting feeling of loss. Congratulations on your win; beautiful work!👏💙👏
Grats on the win, Tim. This hits close to home, you’re one of the few who write poetry with thematic depth RE human emotions, melancholic. Powerful stuff.
Congratulations on your well deserved win!🏆 Excellent take on the challenge. ✅
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Words of encouragement amidst the depths of grief truly do feel like nails on a chalk board and there really is no measure of time for recovery ( if ever ), more or less just acceptance and strength. Really truly loved this Tim, Congratulations.
Painfully accurate commentary on grieving. You really captured the whole feeling and told it in an accessible way. I don’t know how I missed this but it’s top tier work so I’m glad to see your name show and for you to land a well deserved win and some recognition! Great work Tim :)
Well done, Tim! Congratulations on your win, buddy!
This is so good, Tim! A well deserved win! Congrats to you! 🎉
Sorry that I missed this, Tim. It is great, and thus your win!! Compliance with sorrow is mandatory. Optimism as a corrective measure is null. Presence alone is authorized. And the photo is perfect too. Great job, Tim, happy for you!
Tim, you painted a true picture and the image you chose even more haunting...I wrote one earlier about grief...great minds they say, but if you are going through grief, my prayers and hugs are there for you, too.
Oh boy. This is so astute. I just nodded the whole way through the poem. You really nailed this one. It has to win something. Your language is perfect for the challenge, but the poem also carries depth. Congratulations on whatever this wins, and more importantly, for crafting a powerful work.