When she leaves
When he is gone
When they are no more
Grieve as much as you want

Let no one tell you to stop
Let him not say it is enough
Let her not say dry your eyes
They should not tell you to be strong
Crumble down if you want
Curl into a ball if you feel that
Disappear into your mind if you have to
It is your right to hurt
Sit on the dirt
And throw a tantrum
Roll around in the mud
Like a child
Sleep on concrete when it rains
Lie on your left over pizza
Sit on the bathroom floor and weep
Sleep on unwashed laundry if you have to
It is your right to hurt
Let those tears fall without shame
Heave and cough out those heavy emotions
Let mucous fall from your nose
Without a care
Cry at the grocery store
Curse at the air or trees or sand or the wall or a cat or humans or food
Scream in the middle of the night
It is your pain
It is your loss
It is your defeat
It is your darkness
It is your undoing
It is your own grief
And your right to hurt
So grieve as much as you want
Until you can blink without tears
Until you can say their name without skipping a breath
Until their picture does not haunt you
Until smiling no longer hurts
It is your right to hurt
Let no one take it away from you
Until you can give your hurt away
So baby, go ahead
Grieve as much as you want

If this resonated with you, you are not alone. Grief can feel isolating, but your story matters. If you feel comfortable, I invite you to share your journey, whether through a few words, a poem, or a personal experience. Your voice could be the comfort someone else is searching for.  Leave a comment below, or,

You can share your stories through griefpoetry@gmail.com

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This poem is about giving people permission to grieve fully and without judgment after experiencing loss. It rejects the common expectation that grief should be controlled, hidden, or rushed. Instead, it argues that sorrow deserves space to be felt honestly, whether that means crying, screaming, withdrawing, or simply falling apart for a while.

The poem emphasizes that grief is deeply personal and that no one else has the authority to decide when someone’s pain has lasted long enough.

The poem also challenges society’s tendency to demand strength from those who are hurting. Phrases such as “dry your eyes” and “be strong” are presented as limitations placed on grieving people by others who may be uncomfortable with emotional pain.

By encouraging actions that range from weeping on a bathroom floor to screaming into the night, the poem validates the messy, unpredictable, and often overwhelming nature of grief.

These images illustrate that mourning is not always graceful or composed, and that emotional breakdowns can be a natural response to profound loss.

At its heart, the poem is a compassionate reminder that healing cannot be forced. Grief is portrayed as a process that must be experienced rather than avoided, lasting until the pain becomes easier to carry.

The milestones mentioned, being able to say a loved one’s name, look at their picture, or smile without pain, suggest that healing does not mean forgetting. Instead, it means reaching a place where memories no longer overwhelm every moment.

The poem ultimately affirms that grief is an expression of love and loss, and that everyone has the right to mourn in their own way and in their own time.