Notes

You would know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. -- Kahlil Gibran Death is a part of life that none of us can avoid. The poems in this anthology give insight into the world of those who are grieving, facing the death of someone they love, or even facing death themselves. Some illustrate joy and acceptance; others, blackness and despair. Some are angry, sad, descriptive and emotional. There is an enormous range of feelings and experiences on the way towards death and through bereavement. These poems teach us about love and perseverance, patience and frustration, and, above all, about life.