The Leaving

• by Darren Bastin
• 1 year ago

I lost my wife on 13th of Feb 2023. We met as teenagers and barely were apart for 39 years. She had with breast cancer 15 years ago and thankfully was allowed the time to mother our two children into young adults. Then her breast cancer returned. Her decline and death was quite sudden.

This poem best describes my feelings. I have an overwhelming sense of loss. I feel in pain and alone even when surrounded by my family. My wife drank little, never smoked, ate healthy foods, and was an ideal weight. I am struck by how unfair her death is. My wife and family are the only things I truly value. Thank you for displaying this poem.

• by Edwin
• 3 years ago

I lost my wife to liver cancer after about 3 months of treatment from November 2020 to February 2021. She started to lose interest in eating, and subsequently weight. Both happened in a rapid fashion and it was so painful to see her deteriorate every day. The doctor told me that she was young, thus she had a fighting chance. The encouraging statements gave me lots of false hope that I did not see her death even 24 hours before her passing. She died on the 3rd of February 2021, which was the darkest day of my life. It is almost impossible to accept, and I'm often overwhelmed with hopelessness every day I look at her pictures. I want to blame someone for the pain and her death, but I can't. We have a son together who was born during the first year of our marriage, and he is six years now. This poem just reminded me of the love my wife, and I am glad that someone had the perfect words to express my innermost feelings for me through this poem.

• by Db47
• 3 years ago

The third verse says it all. So many well-meaning words are said. But until they go through the loss of a spouse, they will never understand the gut-wrenching pain, the emptiness and the hopelessness that is felt when a spouse is suddenly ripped away.

• by Donnie Wayne Whaley
• 5 years ago

This poem takes me back to the days and nights I spent with my wife in the hospital. I watched her slowly die for six weeks. At the young age of 26 my wife suffered a brain aneurysm four days after having our second child. Our oldest was only a year and a half. She turned 27 in the hospital before passing on September 12. 2018 at 1:15 A.M. I feel my life will never be complete again.

• by Rusty And Lucy
• 6 years ago

Pancreatic cancer took my wife of 27 years. She was what the Native Americans called a straight arrow. Never even touched a cigarette of any type. Our marriage was blended, manufactured, and constructed by God. Help me to maintain contact with my Lucy.

• by Ayodeji Babalola
• 7 years ago

I lost my wife Omotayo on January 14, 2017. She was only 34 and we had been married for 5 years and in a relationship for 12 years, 17 years altogether. It's like a part of me is missing. I don't know if the pain will ever ease. Day after day my heart keeps pounding. Your poem is so inspiring as I have to read through hour after hour.

• by Tom Sawyer
• 7 years ago

My wife Susan suddenly died during the early morning of January 28, 2016. She is the second wife that death has taken from me. The first to cancer, the 2nd to heart failure. I was married to the first for 26 years with 3 children. I met Susan 6 months later. We dated, and after 18 months we got married. It lasted for 25 years, no children. She was 16 years my junior. She suffered from Bipolar disorder and was a two-time cancer survivor. Her bipolar disorder got in the way of our marriage, and we were separated for some time, although we saw each other on a regular basis and went places. I bought a new house and we reconciled and lived together for the past 11 years.

Her death has affected me dearly, and I still cry about her passing. I had no closure with her like I had with my first. No goodbyes, no I'm sorry, forgive me, no goodbye kiss. No hand holding like with my first. The Leaving poem says it all.

• by Chris Dring - Lincolnshire
• 8 years ago

This poem affected me deeply, summing up the emptiness of losing the one who makes you whole. On the 12th of July 2016 it will be 4 years since I lost my beautiful wife Jane. We had been together over 30 years. She suffered a severe brain hemorrhage on the 10th of July and stopped breathing. Jane and I were First Responders and I did CPR on her for over 30 minutes until the paramedics arrived. I resuscitated her six times. She died two days later. The last 4 years have been tough but I just have to keep going so I don't let her down. We had our own business, and running it alone has been hard but Jane would want me to carry on. My deepest regret is because of the way she died ... I never had the chance to say goodbye. I never left her bedside and talked to her all the time, but will never know if she could hear me.
Many thanks to David John Love for the poem and I treasure every word and sentiment. I often feel alone and helpless still, but I will read his words of wisdom again and again.

• by Bernard Kelly
• 8 years ago

I lost my beautiful wife to c in sept 2016 I cannot bring myself to even say the word. Until anyone has had the horrible experience of losing one so close they will never know just how hard it is to go on. The person or persons who came up with the 'it gets better with time', I would like very much to meet them. The poem has inspired me to attempt some poetry and if I am ever to pen something half as meaningful I will be so proud. Yours sincerely, Bernie Kelly

• by Bernard Kelly
• 8 years ago

I lost my Darling Wife to that Bas...d c....er in Sept 2015 ,sorry about the language, but when I read your poem it was as if you where inside my head. l have sat for days trying to put to words how I felt and still feel. Colin you have given me the will to keep trying to write a poem about Marie. Can I just say before l go, that the line about it getting better, you got it 100% correct. l would like to meet the person or persons who came up with that . Just to let them explain.
P.s. Colin have you written more poems?
Sincerely yours, Bernie

• by Chris Rudolph, New Zealand
• 8 years ago

I lost my wife to breast cancer on the 28th of May 2014 after being married for 39 years. I thank God I was able to hold her in my arms as I felt her take her last breath, she was only 56. This was the second time it had reared its ugly head after being clear for 15 years, clear what a joke it never leaves. I now hate it with a vengeance.

When I read the poem it was like it had been written for me every word is exactly how I feel emotionally and physically. Every time I read it it's hard. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her. It's now 2016 and I'm still lost.
I dream about her and wake during the night and realize she's not here, I hate it.

I love and miss you so much my darling I can't bear it.
I'll see you in my dreams.

• by Kenny Barker, Virginia
• 8 years ago

My wife died on September 12th 2015...she had cervical cancer. She was only 52. I find myself questioning my spiritual beliefs constantly now. It's hard to function on a daily routine. I have to raise our 9 year old daughter by myself. They say grief will get better. I feel like I have lost something that I will never again find and continue to search for the rest of my life.....a lot of guilt...pain...Always asking why! Is there a real heaven. Is there a God that supposedly loves us? I try to keep faith. I know we must all die one day....just too soon. So much will be missed.

• by Terry Habermehl, Woodstock
• 9 years ago

It has been less than 24 hours since my wife passed away after battling several illnesses. We were married for over 26 years but together for 32. Yesterday was a very tough day as I missed being with her at the end by about 2 minutes. Right now I wish I could be with her. To think that the coming months and years will be full of the same pain scares me as I feel right now like my heart is being ripped out of my chest.

• by Rod
• 9 years ago

Very sad poem and it really relates to how I feel. I lost my wife of 2 and a half years in a tragic car accident. She was only 22 years of age. We loved each other lots but one night we had a pointless argument and she stormed out of the house, I did my best to stop her but couldn't. She never made it home that night and she hit a tree 800 meters from home. I will never forgive myself for that and I wish I could tell her one more time how much she meant to me. Life means nothing without her and is a struggle

• by Eugene In Kingsland Ga
• 10 years ago

This says so much ..
I lost my Lois on the 18th of Mar 2013 and haven't overcome that lost yet.
The Poem strikes so many chords..

• by Aaron Stolldorf, Woodstock
• 10 years ago

I can so relate to this poem. I lost my Tracee, she was 44, just a short 90 days ago and I haven't stopped thinking of her. I cry, I laugh, but mostly cry. I don't like this pain I feel. People say it will get better, but how do I tell them the only better I want is her by side again. We were married only 23 years, 10 months, 25 days, who was counting. We had our ups and our downs and you tried to make everyday count for your boys. I know it was hard with the pain I could not feel, but I love you babe and always will.

• by Ron Macneal Jr, Canandaigua NY
• 10 years ago

I lost my wife of 35 years April 16 2013 from ALS. There is not a minute goes by that I don't think of her. This poem hit home for me I miss her so much it still hurts. When does the hurt and pain go away.
Ron

• by Paul, Marietta
• 10 years ago

My wife departed this life Nov. 7th, 2012. Just three more days for the first year anniversary. It is just as hard being without her today as it was the first day. I will never be able to get over being without her. We married young and folks would say it couldn't last and I guess they were right because we were separated by death after only 61 years. I so much wanted many more years. We have four married children, eleven grandchildren (6 are married) and four great-grandchildren. We were so meant for each other. We had just returned from a week at Pigeon Forge, TN and had a wonderful time. She got up at 5:00 am and screamed one time that it was burning. After asking what was, she pointed to her head and she was gone. A massive cerebral hemorrhage at the rear of the brain took her without any advance warning. I do thank God every day that she did not have to suffer, but I wasn't ready to let her go then or even now. God Bless all who have their own stories of losing a wife.

• by Ed Schwartz, Reno
• 10 years ago

My wife died one month ago after suffering for months and possibly years from multiple cancers. This poem says exactly how I felt when I lost her after 53 years. I loved her so much and I can never forgive myself for not telling her how much I cared. I would gladly have changed places with her if I could, but then she would experience the same pain I feel now.

• by Colin, Wales
• 11 years ago

My beloved wife died 21 months ago just 6 weeks from our golden wedding -this poem made me cry then and it still does- we did so much together but there were supposed to be so many good years to come - don't live for tomorrow it may never come-I still miss her very day

• by Steven Mitchell, Lake Forest
• 11 years ago

I lost my wife 10/31/2011 8:38 pm to a suddenly formed blood clot in her colon. She went into septic shock and we lost her within days. Your poem describes our life together. Life does not get better, we just move on and deal with the pain the best we can. For it will be there forever more. But try to open your heart to another. She was 51, I am 56, we were married for 30 years no kids. It hasn't been easy, but she would have wanted me to be happy. So should you, if you can. My wife's name was Elizabeth too. God bless you.

• by Chris Jones, St Petersburg
• 11 years ago

I'm 33 and I lost my wife Georgiana to Ovarian cancer on May 20th 2012. I was with her the day she died and remember telling her sternly moments before she died that she needed to lay down and go to sleep or she wasn't going to make it through the day since she had been up for nearly 48 hours. If I had known that she would die that day I never would have said that. I wish I could have taken it back. This poem is exactly how I feel.

• by JP Flynn, Melbourne AUS
• 14 years ago

What a beautiful poem with which all widowers would empathize - men suffer the loss of a spouse more than women, research shows. Death changes everything for the surviving spouse, one's whole reality and perspective is wholly changed. Even if the death is expected, in no way does that lessen the pain and hurt. I have never felt such pain and grief.

• by Linda
• 15 years ago

This is beautiful. I know that your wife is watching over you and she feels and knows that you love her so much.