by 
“When people kill themselves, they think they’re ending the pain, but all they’re doing is passing it on to those they leave behind.”
Dedicated to T. M. M. and all the others
She sat on the front stoop, wretched, her
evening tea grown cold, bitter in its cup
The night air heavy and blue, layered and
gloomy, gray moon a reluctant guardian
She was angry, viewed her children
through narrowed eyes, piercing them
like the woodworms in her own heart
After all, they were his fault, and her
hope and trust were soldiers, gravely
wounded, bloodied, broken along the path
of his escape though, as you might expect,
a fresh new-born day gifted the sun
She was gone by then and now the years
have passed, still you’ll find her children
honoring her and her tradition, sitting on
their front stoops by night, sipping oolong tea
They marvel at its mysterious sweetness and
Why? they wonder, such a bitter cup to Mom
© 2019, Jamie Dedes
- Suicide crisis lines by country
- Three suicide prevention strategies show real promise
- “Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. Suicide is a global phenomenon and occurs throughout the lifespan. Effective and evidence-based interventions can be implemented at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. There are indications that for each adult who died by suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide.” World Health Organization
ABOUT
Jamie Dedes. I’m a Lebanese-American freelance writer, poet, content editor, blogger and the mother of a world-class actor and mother-in-law of a stellar writer/photographer. No grandchildren, but my grandkitty, Dahlia, rocks big time. I am hopelessly in love with nature and all her creatures. In another lifetime, I was a columnist, a publicist, and an associate editor to a regional employment publication. I’ve had to reinvent myself to accommodate scarred lungs, pulmonary hypertension, right-sided heart failure, connective tissue disease, and a rare managed but incurable blood cancer. The gift in this is time for my primary love: literature. I study/read/write from a comfy bed where I’ve carved out a busy life writing feature articles, short stories, and poetry and managing The BeZine and its associated activities and The Poet by Day jamiededes.com, an info hub for writers meant to encourage good but lesser-known poets, women and minority poets, outsider artists, and artists just finding their voices in maturity. The Poet by Day is dedicated to supporting freedom of artistic expression and human rights. Email thepoetbyday@gmail.com for permissions, commissions, or assignments.
Testimonials / Disclosure / Facebook
Recent and Upcoming in Digital Publications * The Damask Garden, In a Woman’s Voice, August 11, 2019 / This short story is dedicated to all refugees. That would be one in every 113 people. * Five poems, Spirit of Nature, Opa Anthology of Poetry, 2019 * From the Small Beginning, Entropy Magazine (Enclave, #Final Poems), July 2019 * Over His Morning Coffee, Front Porch Review, July 2019 * Three poems, Our Poetry Archive, September 2019
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 
Powerful last line. I can relate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
this poem just pulled me in
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad to know that. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person