Grief and Healing

From the opening line, “The dead are always looking down on us” (Line 1), the poem becomes an exploration of what it is to be left behind with the living once a loved one has passed over. This line is meant to be a comfort to those grieving this passing, suggesting that the dead are never really gone from one’s life completely. The poem goes on to explore images from everyday life which the living face throughout their grief: “putting on our shoes or making a sandwich” (Line 2); lying “in a field or on a couch” on “a warm afternoon” (Line 6, 7). While the deceased can no longer take part in these activities, their presence can still be felt in each of these moments. This section can be read as a comfort to those who are struggling with bereavement or making peace with the nature...