Poetry by Richard Perry: Empathy, My Enemy?

Empathy, My Enemy?

For years I’ve been writing about loss and grief;

In hopes that I might bring a little relief;

To folks dealing with grief for a loved one lost.

Not realizing that this came with a cost;

Offering hope and peace for folks to move on;

Was stirring the grief that I thought was gone.

Of course, I knew I would never be free.

And moments of darkness could still affect me.

But, a friend suggested how to find relief;

To change my focus, move beyond my grief;

Of course, as usual, my friend was right,

Help folks move out of darkness into the light.

Teaching them how to live bearing grief’s load,

Knowing there is joy just ahead down the road.

---

Pictured: Richard Perry at Half & Half Restaurant in Reading. Photo by Taylor Gregory.

Our creative community is strongest when many voices are heard. If you feel inspired, please consider submitting your own poetry, short fiction, essays, or personal reflections for publication on The Reading Observer by emailing TGregory@TheReadingObserver.com. We look forward to reading your work!