A Specific Kind Of Loneliness Poem by Jim Yerman

There is a specific kind of loneliness when you lose someone you love
It is difficult to explain…
For some it's like a hole in their heart…
For others…a permanent stain.

It's specific for each person
We have our own joys…our own agonies
housed within our hearts…in specific memories

We spend our years making these memories…from every January to December….
after a person dies we spend the rest of our years
trying to remember….

We easily remember the big moments…momentous laugher…meaningful tears
But we find as our mind searches through its memories
It's the little things we hold dear.

It's a smile shared from across a room
It's walks together in the sand
It's seeing the sparkle in their eyes
It's quietly holding hands.

It's a hug for no reason whatsoever…just to show how much we care
It's a kiss on the back of the neck…It's those quiet moments that we shared…

When that specific loneliness enters our life…we have no choice but to face it…
But if we're lucky for every moment of loneliness
we have a memory to replace it…

And when we stop and think it through…when into our memories we dig…
We wonder at what point in life…all our little things became so big?

And though we know nothing will ever take away the ache
it is possible for the pain to be appeased
by filling up our specific loneliness
with specific memories…