That Wretched Grief

A poem about loss and grief that's been lingering in my head for a few weeks

Terrible, aching misery shakes the soul
Hope withers like grapes on the vine
Amidst the carven stones and carrion birds
Thoughtless, ceaseless sorrow grips the heart

Where once laughter and joy once lived
Regret lingers throughout the days and months
Etching scars into heart and soul
Trembling hands and quivering lips
Cascades of tears that will not cease
Heralding the heaviness that lingers on shoulders
Endless rolling waves that ebb and flow
Day and night, over weeks and months

Grief’s unyielding grasp torments
Reigning over the remaining strains
Igniting the healing that comes slowly
Every wound scabbing over into scars
Forged into something unforgotten an lingering