No Ordinary Monster...

NO - Grief is never kind.

It doesn't go away one day

and allow you to say, "That's the end of that."

It goes and returns

but mostly returns -

over and over.

It comes in unexpected ways.

Some insignificant thing can happen

and a torrent of wretchedness will rush in

and almost knock you down

and cause you to look back

to see if anyone saw you stumble.

Sometimes you get stuck in looking back...

This is no ordinary monster

that goes away at sunrise.

It does not hide in the shadows

but always stands beside you -

boldly ready to grab you and shake you

just when

you feel you are getting your life back together.

It makes you think you do not deserve to be happy

but should wear the hot wet blanket of sorrow

for the rest of your life.

You look for excuses not to be happy and realize you are trying

to please this thing that controls you - this unseen something

that doesn't even have the right name.

Grief is too brief a word

for what this demon does to you

and causes you to do.