Categories
Losing a Child to Suicide poems of love and loss

Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss

Close-up of delicate pink and white flower buds on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves, My Forever Son
Delicate pink and white blossoms surrounded by vibrant green leaves, signaling the beauty of spring and the promise of renewal, My Forever Son

Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss

Key Takeaways

  • The article Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss presents touching poetry focused on themes of love, loss, and losing a child to suicide.
  • One featured poem is ‘A Lullaby for My Son,’ which expresses deep sentiments of love and remembrance.
  • The poem reassures the child of a mother’s eternal love and God’s care in heaven.
  • Another theme includes coping with the loss of a child to suicide, emphasizing emotional struggles.
  • Readers can find hope and solace through these heartfelt expressions of grief.

Summary

“Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss” explores the profound grief and healing that follow the loss of a child to suicide. Through poetry, the author, Beth Brown, shares her personal journey of navigating grief, finding hope, and healing. The poems delve into themes of love, loss, guilt, and the struggle to find meaning after such a devastating loss.

Introduction

Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss navigates the heartbreaking journey of grief that follows the loss of a child to suicide. In this poignant collection, the author, Beth Brown, opens her heart and shares her deeply personal experience of sorrow, while also illuminating the fragile pathways toward hope and healing. The poems tenderly explore the intertwined themes of love, loss, guilt, and the relentless quest for meaning in the aftermath of such an unimaginable tragedy.

“The Unbroken Circle: Grief as Love’s Most Enduring Voice”

But we have misunderstood this most human of experiences entirely. Grief is not a weakness to be cured, nor a temporary crack in the smooth road of our lives. It is not a pathology that time erases. “It is love itself”, stripped of its comforts, raw in its longing, honest in its ache. It is the persistence of love when the form of what we cherish dissolves.

The Vedic Soul, “The Unbroken Circle: Grief as Love’s Most Enduring Voice,” SubStack, September 11, 2025

Reflections on Love and Loss: Poetry, Photography, and Personal Narratives

“Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss” is a collection of poems by Beth Brown, which appears on her blog, My Forever Son and other grief support sites. It is a collection that uses personal stories, poems, and imagery to explore the grief and healing process of losing a child to suicide, offering support to other grieving parents. The themes include the intertwined nature of love and loss, finding hope and peace, and the therapeutic outlets like nature and writing. 

About the content

  • Author and site: The poems are by Beth Brown, whose blog My Forever Son is dedicated to providing support and sharing her journey of healing after her son’s suicide.
  • Themes: The work explores the profound grief that accompanies the loss of a child, the deep and everlasting love, and the journey toward finding hope and healing.
  • Connection to nature: Brown uses imagery from her gardens as a therapeutic outlet, finding moments of peace and connection through nature amidst her grief.
  • Support for others: The blog and its content aim to create a supportive space for other parents who have experienced similar loss, providing solace through shared experiences, stories, and poems.
  • Examples of other works: Other poems shared on the blog and in similar contexts include “Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon” and “Tillers of the Earth and Tenders of the Soil,” both of which deal with love and loss after suicide. 

The Journey of Finding Hope

  • It’s Not About Forgetting: Healing does not mean forgetting the child; rather, it’s about integrating their memory into one’s life in a way that allows for continued living. 
  • Grief is Carried, Not Overcome: The loss of a child creates a permanent change, and parents learn to carry the grief as it evolves over time, rather than erasing it. 
  • Support is Key: Leaning on other bereaved parents who understand the unique challenges of this journey provides crucial support, encouragement, and a shared sense of hope. 

My Forever Son

Delicate Pink and White Weeping Cherry Blossoms, My Forever Son, Find Hope Here: Poems About Love, Loss, and Losing a Child; and Sorrow Buried in Love: Coping with Child Loss

My Forever Son explores the profound grief, hope, and healing that follow the tragedy of losing a child to suicide.

My Forever Son dovetails the author’s journey of descending into deep grief, searching for hope, and finding healing along the way.

Table of Contents

Poems of Love and Loss

Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss offers a compassionate collection of poems and reflections that touch deeply on the journey of grief and healing, each thoughtfully presented as a unique blog post, drawn from the My Forever Son: Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide. Authored by Beth Brown, the My Forever Son blog shares her heartfelt journey through the unimaginable pain of losing her son to suicide, featuring journals, articles, poems, and poignant reflections. Each post beautifully intertwines evocative poetry with stunning photography, designed to provide comfort and foster a sense of community among grieving parents. This touching blend of sorrow and hope illuminates the strength found in shared experiences and the remarkable resilience of nature.



FINDING HOPE THROUGH GRIEF: POEMS OF LOVE AND LOSS

Poems about Losing a Child to Suicide

Understanding ‘Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon’ Poem’s Heartfelt Message

Understanding ‘Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon’ Poem’s Heartfelt Message Summary Understanding ‘Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon’ Poem’s Heartfelt Message explores the profound grief and regret of losing a child to suicide through the poem, “Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon,” by author Beth Brown. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt repetition, the poem captures the enduring love…

Read More
Poems

When Love Isn’t Enough: ‘Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand’

When Love Isn’t Enough: ‘Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand’ Summary When Love Isn’t Enough: ‘Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand’ unravels the profound complexities surrounding suicide, featuring an impactful poem and a heartfelt treatise by the author, “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand.” This poignant article and poetic reflection encourage readers…

Read More 
The Beat of My Heart Shaped By You

The beat of my heart shaped by you.
The song of you which still now I sing.
And yet, perhaps, you could not hear,
Above the deafening roar of your heart's desperation.

An ocean’s deafening roar silenced the pain of your heart's ache,
And in a frothy zest of waves, deafness spoke to you your fate,
Against a world that cannot make sense, and this distance in between,
My lament for you, my son, lies in what fate could not foresee.

The beat of my heart shaped by you.
The song of you which still now I sing.
And yet, perhaps, you could not hear,
Above the deafening roar of your heart's desperation.

And why, dear child, did you not hear my love?

©Beth Brown, 2025, The Beat of My Heart Shaped By You

Healing Words: Download 3 Compassionate Poems for Coping with the Loss of a Child

A vibrant pink water lily surrounded by green lily pads, reflecting in calm water, symbolizing peace and healing, My Forever Son
A beautiful pink water lily floating serenely on a calm pond surrounded by green lily pads, My Forever Son

Love and Loss: Profound Narratives and Poems of Grief

A beautifully arranged family dining table, featuring pink roses, symbolizing love and remembrance amidst the backdrop of loss, A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table, My Forever Son

A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table

A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table offers a deeply personal and moving exploration of love and grief associated with family gatherings and the loss of a child. Framed through the lens of her son, Dylan, the story of the family table unfolds through his loving childhood memories. Against this backdrop of cherished memories, the author reveals the profound grief of losing a child, her son Dylan, to suicide.

A young man with shoulder-length hair smiles while sitting on a wooden floor, wearing a black graphic t-shirt featuring a musician design, photo of author's son, Dylan, age 17, embodying the spirit of youthful joy, My Forever Son
A cheerful young man, Dylan, age 17, sitting on a porch, embodying the spirit of youthful joy, My Forever Son, Twenty Years of Love: Dylan

Twenty Years of Love: Dylan

Twenty Years of Love: Dylan delves deeply into the personal journey of grief and loss, offering heartfelt memories and reflections on the life of Dylan. The emotional impact is palpable, and the piece effectively captures the enduring love and pain experienced by the author. The inclusion of links to additional readings about Dylan and resources for support is valuable.

A worried mother sitting beside her son in a hospital bed, looking somber while he sleeps, capturing the deep emotional bond and concern during a vulnerable moment, My Forever Son
A mother sits worried beside her son in a hospital bed, capturing the deep emotional bond and concern during a vulnerable moment, My Forever Son, Memorial Day: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Love, and Unimaginable Grief

Memorial Day: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Love, and Unimaginable Grief

Memorial Day: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Love, and Unimaginable Grief beautifully conveys the profound heartache and unwavering love that a mother feels for her son. The author shares her deeply moving journey of navigating the pain and challenges that arise from her son’s fourth suicide attempt on Memorial Day, illuminating the complexities of a mother’s grief intertwined with a glimmer of hope.

Close-up of red rose buds surrounded by green leaves in a garden setting, symbolizing beauty and resilience amidst grief, My Forever Son
A close-up of vibrant red rosebuds surrounded by lush green leaves, symbolizing beauty and resilience amidst grief, Navigating Guilt in Grief: A Parent’s Guide, My Forever Son

Navigating Guilt in Grief: A Parent’s Guide

Navigating Guilt in Grief: A Parent’s Guide is a compassionate exploration that acknowledges the intricate emotions that arise in the wake of a loved one’s suicide, focusing specifically on the experiences of parents. This guide delves into the deep, often conflicting feelings of grief, guilt, and despair that can engulf parents who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.

A pathway lined with greenery and scattered autumn leaves, creating a serene atmosphere, symbolizing the journey of grief and remembrance, My Forever Son
A serene path lined with fallen leaves, symbolizing the journey of grief and remembrance, Walking through Shadows: Surviving the Unthinkable Loss of a Child to Suicide, My Forever Son

Walking Through Shadows: Surviving the Unthinkable Loss of a Child to Suicide

Walking through Shadows: Surviving the Unthinkable Loss of a Child to Suicide has a profound and emotional narrative in the form of a narrative poem that sheds light on the struggle of losing a child to suicide. The personal experiences shared provide an authentic and raw look into the journey of grief and healing. The author emphasizes the importance of staying true to one’s narrative and finding support.

Close-up of pink azalea flowers in full bloom, symbolizing beauty and solace, complementing themes of healing in poetry, Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss, My Forever Son
Close-up of delicate pink flowers, symbolizing beauty and solace, complementing themes of healing in poetry, Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss, My Forever Son

The Strong Bond Between Visual Art and Poetry

The poems and photos in Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss, My Forever Son beautifully capture the strong bond between visual art and poetry, offering readers a powerful and touching experience.

The introduction to the book, Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide, along with the resources for support, hope, and healing, provides helpful insights and paths for those looking to explore these difficult emotions further.

Pink flowers trail over a cream and brown stoneware flower pot resting on bricks, symbolizing hope and resilience, My Forever Son, A Poetic Quest for Healing After Losing My Son
Pink flowers trail over a cream and brown stoneware flower pot resting on bricks, symbolizing hope and resilience, My Forever Son, A Poetic Quest for Healing After Losing My Son

Author’s Note: A Poetic Quest for Healing After Losing My Son

Twelve years ago, I lost my 20-year-old son, Dylan, to suicide, a heartbreaking event that shattered my world and plunged me into a dark period of grief.

During those long months, I found myself grappling with overwhelming emotions and thoughts, questioning everything around me and struggling to make sense of what will never make sense. I entered into a deep grief filled with solitude and despair, a darkness so bleak I questioned ever being able to see light again.

In the beginning, I had no words. No voice. No ability to express the grief I was feeling.

My words were lost in torrents of tears, in stark contrast to the vibrant discussions I used to lead in my college composition and literature classes.

Perhaps it’s important to preface that I was teaching college composition and literature when I lost my son to suicide, a tragedy that shattered all of me. The irony of discussing the complexities of human emotion with my students while grappling with my own profound sorrow was not lost on me.

Each day, I faced the challenge of maintaining my professional facade, all the while battling an internal tempest that seemed insurmountable, wondering how to bridge the chasm between my role as an educator and the personal devastation I was enduring.

Wild purple geraniums surrounded by green leaves near a water pond in mid-summer, symbolizing hope and a moment of tranquility, My Forever Son, A Poetic Quest for Healing After Losing My Son
Wild purple geraniums surrounded by green leaves in mid-summer, symbolizing hope and a moment of tranquility, My Forever Son, A Poetic Quest for Healing After Losing My Son

My Life Before Losing My Son

Books, lectures, teaching—I once felt empowered by my voice, a resonant tool for sharing ideas and knowledge. It was a time when I believed in the strength of my words and the influence they carried, inspiring others to think deeply and engage in meaningful conversations.

I reveled in the connections I forged through sharing my thoughts, feeling a sense of purpose in my contributions to the world. But when Dylan died by suicide, I felt consumed by my grief. My heart collapsed inward in sharp pain, I retreated from the outside world, and my words eluded me.

Teaching was impossible. Losing Dylan shattered my life, leaving me, on the outside at least, grappling with an overwhelming silence that echoed louder than any lecture or written page.

On the inside, I was screaming sounds I did not recognize as my own.

The Depth of My Loss Brought My Life to a Standstill

The vibrant energy that once fueled my passion for writing vanquished, and I found myself questioning everything without being able to lend voice to the confusion and overwhelming feelings I was moving through in my grief.

The depth of my loss silenced the joy I once derived from sharing my thoughts and connecting with others.

All of my life came to a standstill as I entered a place of deep grief. It is only in retrospect and in these twelve years past my son’s suicide that I see how all-consuming my grief was.

Diminishing the confidence that fuels expression, my grief stifled my voice completely. It’s been a difficult battle to reclaim my sense of self amidst such sorrow.

A Poetic Quest for Self-Forgiveness and Healing

Journaling was awkward. I couldn’t put all the pain I was feeling into words that did justice to the enormity of my heartbreak. But I kept writing. Slowly, in keeping a record of my grief, I realized I was creating a poetic journey about losing a child to suicide.

A close-up of a vibrant red rose surrounded by green leaves, set against a textured gray wall, symbolizing hope and renewal, My Forever Son, Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing
A vibrant red rose blooms amidst lush green leaves, symbolizing hope and renewal in the journey of healing, My Forever Son, Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing

“Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing”

Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing is a heartfelt collection of poems and reflections by Beth Brown, the compassionate voice behind the My Forever Son blog. This poignant work navigates the deep, overwhelming sorrow that accompanies the tragic loss of a child to suicide. In her writing, Brown bravely shares her personal journey through grief, revealing how the act of writing poetry and connecting with the beauty of nature became vital sources of comfort and healing for her in the midst of such profound pain.

Through the author’s heartfelt verses, she reaches out with warmth and understanding to those who are journeying through their own sorrows. With her enchanting photography of the trees, shrubs, and flowers that grace her gardens throughout the seasons, Brown lovingly shares a beacon of hope, brightly illuminating the shadows cast by grief.

On Finding Hope: Photographing My Gardens Brings Healing

In nature, I find calm in the wake of profound sorrow and healing in the cycling of the seasons. Predictable. Beautiful in the spring, promising renewal after a long winter’s rest. Brilliant hues in the summer months. Autumn bringing trees and shrubs bejeweled in vivid reds, oranges, and reds. And then the stillness and monochromatic sketch of what can be a too long winter’s sleep.

Winter Wonderland: Captivating Photos in My Gardens

Snow covered branches of a saucer cup Magnolia in winter, My Forever Son, Suicide: It Never Lets Go
A stark image of a magnolia tree in winter, framed by an ever-green Norway Spruce in the background, all against a blue sky with dark clouds above tinged with light that seems surreal, My Forever Son, A Poem About Being Haunted by Guilt After Losing My Son to Suicide: Still From Sky I'm Falling
Snow-covered branches of a magnolia tree in winter framed by brick wall and snow in the background, My Forever Son, c
A small bird, a junco with a gray topside and a white underside, in a triangle of sunlight across a snow-covered pond, photographed for My Forever Son, An Abrupt Awakening: Foray Into the Holidays 2015 and The Holidays Descend Suicide Never Ends
Glistening Snow reflecting sun's prisms in tree shadows in winter, rose bush with brown leaves of winter in foreground, my forever son, The holidays descend: suicide never ends and Reflections on Grief in Year 6 After Losing My Son to Suicide
Winter Magnolia Tree Shadow in Snow with Brick Wall, My Forever Son, Suicide: It Never Lets Go and The Holidays Descend Suicide Never Ends, Suicide: It Never Lets Go
Winter snow looking out over a low brick wall through a bare tree into the glare of the sun, photographed for My Forever Son, An Abrupt Awakening, Foray into the Holidays and He Left Too Soon, Also A Mother's Reflections after Losing My Son to Suicide
Snow-covered brick wall with intricate woven brick work pattern in late afternoon winter, My Forever Son, Journals from the Heart
Winter Sun in Blue Sky with a Few Wispy White Clouds Shining through Bare Trees, My Forever Son, The Holidays Descend: Suicide Never Ends
A red-bellied woodpecker at a bird-feeder in winter with snow on ground, My Forever Son, A Poem About Being Haunted by Guilt After Losing My Son to Suicide: Still From Sky I'm Falling

A Long Winter’s Rest for Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers

This dormant season in winter echoes the hopelessness of my grief: everything feels, looks, seems bleak and forsaken.

This dormant season in winter echoes the hopelessness of my grief: everything feels, looks, seems bleak and forsaken. An empty landscape. Gray skies for months. A blanket of snow in white, though only the stark limbs of trees and shrubs. At times, though, red berries appear on some shrubs, supplying food for birds and wildlife. All this to say I can’t see life against this wintry scene.

But in photographing nature through the seasons, I began to see (again), the brilliance of a long winter’s rest for trees, shrubs, and flowers. To study nature and botany is to realize that what appears lifeless is actually the process of life within all of nature renewing itself. Trusting in what I cannot see brings hope and healing.

Spring Brings Hope: Photographs of My Gardens

Yellow center white petals daffodil cluster in early spring framed by brick wall in background, My Forever Son, Navigating Grief: 5 Years After Losing My Son and Finding Hope, Healing and Resilience in Nature
Creamy White and Yellow Daffodils in Early Spring
Purple Crocus on Slender Green and White Striped Stalks Getting Ready to Open in Early Spring, My Forever Son, How to Survive the First Year After Losing Your Child to Suicide
Pink Raspberry Azalea in Spring Bloom, My Forever Son, Healing Through Poetry: Grieving a Child's Loss
Tender pink blossoms of a pink crabapple tree in early spring, My Forever Son, About My Forever Son: A Journey Through Grief
Purple Phlox in Spring Leading to Water Pond with Cascading Waterfall Rocks, and pink spring flowers, My Forever Son, Navigating the Ever-changing Landscape of Grief: Reflecting on Year Nine
Beautiful Pink and white striped phlox surround a water pond with 2 waterfalls in early spring, My Forever Son, Coping with Grief: Strategies for Memorial Dates
Pink Phlox in Bloom Close Up, Photographed for My Forever Son: Chronicling Grief, Hope, and Healing After Losing My Son to Suicide, Living Backwards Going Forward
Lavender Phlox in Spring, My Forever Son,
Robin in Early Spring Coldsnap
Peach flowering quince blossoms in full bloom in spring, My Forever Son, Understanding Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide

Spring Brings Beauty and Hope

Even against the cold remnants of a long winter–scattered clumps of snow, a robin redbreast plumped out to keep itself warm against a late March frost, brown dried leaves with nary a sign of color anywhere, spring breaks through. At first just small bits of color. A hint of purple as crocus push through thawing ground, then the vivid yellows of daffodils leaning towards the sun and the suddenness of blue bells. Rhododendron yawns and stretches its lavender limbs to awaken azalea, still sleepy with snow though greening beneath it all.

What seems forever gone in the gray doldrums of winter arrives with an abundance of joy come spring.

Writing My Way Through Grief to Find Hope and Healing

Snippets of language emerged as poetic reflections

Three years into my grief, I began writing journal entries. Short. A few feelings. About my day and where I was in my grief journey. Then slowly, snippets of language emerged as poetic reflections. Words shaped the deep feelings and emotional longing in my heart, and as I continued writing, I began to find small glimpses of hope in unexpected ways.

Photographing my gardens garnered a way to coalesce all the many feelings and words I’d been unable to express. And the more I photographed through the seasons, the more glimmers of hope I found along the way.

Each poignant poem in Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing is a dedicated blog post in its own right, replete with the inspiration behind the poem.

The poems included in Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing appear below. Each poem is a blog post in its own right, oftentimes replete with the inspiration behind the poem.

Each poem moves the reader through the profound emotions of grief and healing after losing a child.

Many of the poems tell narratives I remember from my son’s childhood. This is significant–reconstructing the narrative of our lives during his growing-up years brings release for all the love and beautiful memories before the trauma of losing him. Writing these poems and narratives, these poetic reflections on love and loss, have helped me learn to carry love and ache together.

Still I write. Still I heal. Still I miss my son.

From Shattered Hearts to Quiet Hope: Poems and Reflections for Parents of Suicide Loss

Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing

If you are reading this, you know the unique and overwhelming grief of losing a child to suicide. This collection is for you—a place to find words and images that honor your pain, offer comfort, and gently invite hope.

Curated by Beth Brown, who lost her only child, her 20-year-old son Dylan, to suicide, these poems and reflections move through the rawness of early trauma, the depths of acute grief, and the slow journey toward healing, even thirteen years later. Each post pairs heartfelt writing with stunning garden photography, inspired by Beth’s own search for solace in nature’s resilience.

Hope can be quiet—listen for it in moments of rest.

You are invited to explore at your own pace. Choose what resonates—whether it’s a poem that mirrors your sorrow, a reflection that offers comfort, or an image that whispers hope. For more resources, stories, and support, visit the My Forever Son blog and discover a community that understands.

Contemplation Prompt:
Pause with a garden image. What does it say to you about survival, growth, or hope?

About the Author, Beth Brown: Writing My Way Through Grief

The love you shared endures beyond loss.

This collection is lovingly curated by Beth Brown, a mother who lost her only child, her 20-year-old son Dylan, to suicide. Over thirteen years, Beth’s journey through the depths of grief has been shaped by poetry, reflection, and the healing presence of her gardens. Through My Forever Son, she shares how nature’s resilience and beauty offer moments of solace and hope, even in the face of unimaginable loss.

Explore These Poems and Reflections at Your Own Pace

You are invited to explore these poems and reflections at your own pace. Each post pairs heartfelt words with stunning garden photography, offering comfort, understanding, and gentle encouragement for wherever you are in your grief. Select what speaks to you—let these pages be a companion on your path toward healing. For more resources, stories, and support, visit the My Forever Son blog and discover a community that understands.

Journaling Prompt:
What memories of your child bring both tears and warmth? Write a few lines, letting your heart speak freely.

You are not alone. Healing is a journey, and hope can bloom—even here.

Message of Hope:
Even in the darkest seasons, a single flower can remind us that beauty and life persist. Let these poems be gentle companions as you move through your grief.

FIND HOPE HERE: POEMS AND POETIC REFLECTIONS ON GRIEF AND HEALING

Poems about Losing a Child to Suicide

Understanding ‘Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon’ Poem’s Heartfelt Message

Understanding ‘Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon’ Poem’s Heartfelt Message Summary Understanding ‘Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon’ Poem’s Heartfelt Message explores the profound grief and regret of losing a child to suicide through the poem, “Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon,” by author Beth Brown. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt repetition, the poem captures the enduring love…

Read More
Poems

When Love Isn’t Enough: ‘Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand’

When Love Isn’t Enough: ‘Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand’ Summary When Love Isn’t Enough: ‘Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand’ unravels the profound complexities surrounding suicide, featuring an impactful poem and a heartfelt treatise by the author, “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand.” This poignant article and poetic reflection encourage readers…

Read More
Healing Grief

The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience

The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience Summary The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience explores the author’s journey of grief through the metaphor of a Magnolia tree’s cyclical seasons. The author uses photography to illustrate the parallels between nature’s cycles and the seasons of grief, finding hope and healing in…

Read More
For Parents

Finding Beauty in Loss: Reflections on Grief and Healing

Finding Beauty in Loss: Reflections on Grief and Healing Key Takeaways Summary Finding Beauty in Loss: Reflections on Grief and Healing shares author Beth Brown’s journey of grief and healing after losing her son, Dylan, to suicide. Through poetry and nature photography, she finds solace and a way to express her overwhelming emotions after suicide loss.…

Read More
poems of love and loss

“Travel On My Brave Soldier”: A Poem of Hope

“Travel On My Brave Soldier”: A Poem of Hope Summary “Travel On My Brave Soldier”: A Poem of Hope addresses grieving parents who have suffered the unimaginable loss of a child to suicide. It underscores the profound importance of honoring their child’s memory through meaningful rituals, sharing heartfelt stories, and engaging in advocacy events that…

Read More

Embracing Grief: A Mother’s Poetic Journey

From journaling to discovering the poetic language that encapsulates my grief, I penned my path to healing, culminating in the creation of my book, Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide.

The anthology of poems in this book provides a profound and moving examination of grief, intricately intertwining original verses that delve into themes of loss, guilt, hope, self-forgiveness, and the path to healing. Expertly curated, the arrangement of poems invites deep reflection, serving as a treasured companion for those in search of solace and connection during difficult times.

A Lullaby of Hope: My Child on Earth Above (In Heaven’s Care)

Young toddler climbing the stairs looking back and smiling at his mother who is taking the photograph

My Child on Earth Above (In Heaven’s Care)

My Child On Earth Above (In Heaven’s Care), ©Beth Brown, 2021, My Forever Son
My Child on Earth Above (In Heaven's Care)

As I tuck you in, I lay me down
As I hold you now, I lift my arms
As I fall asleep, I pray for you
My child, my love, my heart, I’m with you too
My child, my love, my heart, May God keep and love you

And you will be forevermore
Safe from this world and so adored
And God will be your comforter
And I will always thank God for rescuing you
And I will always praise God for loving you too

And so I live my life in memory
Surrendering to God, what now must be
But here on earth I know the angels sing
When I hear your voice I know God’s listening

And I will always be your mother here
And I will speak your name for all to hear
And God will be with you ’til I get there
My child on earth above in heaven’s care

My child on earth above in heaven’s care-

Beth Brown, "My Child on Earth Above in Heaven's Care: A Lullaby of Hope,  My Forever Son
A cozy setting featuring a red coffee cup on a white plate, accompanied by a small vase of flowers, a stack of notebooks, and a plush sofa in the background, perfect for reflecting on grief and healing, My Forever Son, Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss
A cozy scene featuring a red coffee cup on a saucer, surrounded by a small vase of flowers and a notebook, perfect for reflecting on grief and healing, My Forever Son, Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss

Professional Resources

Online Directory for Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress

After A Suicide Resource Directory: Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
http://www.personalgriefcoach.net
This online directory links people who are grieving after a suicide death to resources and information.

Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors
http://www.allianceofhope.org
This organization for survivors of suicide loss provides information sheets, a blog, and a community forum through which survivors can share with each other.

Friends for Survival
http://www.friendsforsurvival.org
This organization is for suicide loss survivors and professionals who work with them. It produces a monthly newsletter and runs the Suicide Loss Helpline (1-800-646-7322). It also published Pathways to Purpose and Hope, a guide to building a community-based suicide survivor support program.

HEARTBEAT: Grief Support Following Suicide
http://heartbeatsurvivorsaftersuicide.org
This organization has chapters providing support groups for survivors of suicide loss in Colorado and some other states. Its website provides information sheets for survivors and a leader’s guide on how to start a new chapter of HEARTBEAT.

Resources and Support Groups

Parents of Suicides and Friends & Families of Suicides (POS-FFOS)
http://www.pos-ffos.com
This website provides a public message board called Suicide Grief Support Forum, a listserv for parents, a separate listserv for others, and an online chat room for survivors of suicide loss.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
https://www.taps.org/suicide
This organization provides resources and programs for people grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces or as a result of their service. It has special resources and programs for suicide loss survivors.

United Survivors
https://unitesurvivors.org/
This organization is a place where people who have experienced suicide loss, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts and feelings, and their friends and families, can connect to use their lived experience to advocate for policy, systems, and cultural change.

Professional Organizations

American Association of Suicidology
suicidology.org • (202) 237-2280
Promotes public awareness, education and training for professionals, and sponsors an annual Healing After Suicide conference for suicide loss survivors. In addition to the conference, they offer a coping with suicide grief handbook by Jeffrey Jackson. This booklet is also available in Spanish.

The Compassionate Friends
compassionatefriends.org • (877) 969-0010
Offers resources for families after the death of a child. They sponsor support groups, newsletters and online support groups throughout the country, as well as an annual national conference for bereaved families.

The Dougy Center
The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
dougy.org • (503) 775-5683
Publishes extensive resources for helping children and teens who are grieving a death including death by suicide. Resources include the “Children, Teens and Suicide Loss” booklet created in partnership with AFSP. This booklet is also available in Spanish.

Link’s National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare
thelink.org/nrc-for-suicide-prevention-aftercar • 404-256-2919
Dedicated to reaching out to those whose lives have been impacted by suicide and connecting them to available resources.

Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS)
taps.org/suicide • (800) 959-TAPS (8277)
Provides comfort, care and resources to all those grieving the death of a military loved one through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones.

LOSS
losscs.org
Offers support groups, remembrance events, companioning, suicide postvention and prevention education, and training to other communities interested in developing or enhancing their suicide postvention and prevention efforts.

Online resources

Alliance of Hope
allianceofhope.org
Provides a 24/7 online forum for suicide loss survivors.

Help Guide
helpguide.org
Provides resources and tips for how to navigate the loss of someone to suicide.

Parents of Suicides (POS) – Friends and Families of Suicides (FFOS)
pos-ffos.com
An internet community to connect parents, friends, and family that have lost someone to suicide.

SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
save.org/programs/suicide-loss-support • (952) 946-7998
Hosts resources for suicide loss survivor including a support group database, newsletter, survivor conference and the Named Memorial Program, which offers a special way to honor your loved one.

Siblings Survivors of Suicide Loss
siblingsurvivors.com
Provides resources and a platform to connect with others that have lost a sibling to suicide.

Finding professional care and support

Find a mental health provider

Find a provider for prolonged grief

Find additional resources for marginalized communities

Crisis Services

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988lifeline.org
Call or text 988 (press 1 for Veterans, 2 for Spanish, 3 for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults) or chat 988lifeline.org
A 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. You will be routed to the closest possible crisis center in your area. With crisis centers across the country, their mission is to provide immediate assistance to anyone seeking mental health services. Call for yourself, or someone you care about. Your call is free and confidential.

Crisis Text Line
crisistextline.org
Text TALK to 741-741 for English
Text AYUDA to 741-741 for Spanish
Provides free, text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need, 24/7.

Support Groups

A stack of books related to mental health and suicide prevention placed on a wooden table, with a blue mug and green plants in the background.
A collection of books focused on understanding grief, suicide, and mental health support, My Forever Son, Finding Support After Losing a Child to Suicide

Books for Understanding Suicide And Mental Health

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. In this memoir, an international authority on Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder describes her own struggle since adolescence with the disorder, and how it has shaped her life.

Darkness Visible
William Styron, Random House, 1990. A powerful and moving first-hand account of what depression feels like to the sufferer.

Devastating Losses: How Parents Cope with the Death of a Child to Suicide or Drugs
William Feigelman, Ph.D., John Jordan, Ph.D., John McIntosh, Ph.D., Beverly Feigelman, LCSW, Springer Publishing, 2012. This book provides useful avenues for future research on suicide loss and offers new insights into the grief process that follows the death of a child, both in the short term and years after a loss.  Please note that, given its academic tone, the book is better suited to clinicians and educators than to recently bereaved lay readers.

Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide
Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., Alfred A. Knopf, 1999. Kay Redfield Jamison’s in-depth psychological and scientific exploration of suicide traces the network of reasons underlying suicide, including the factors that interact to cause suicide, and outlines the evolving treatments available through modern medicine.

The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression
Andrew Solomon, Scribner, 2001.Winner of the National Book Award, this book shares the author’s story of chronic depression, and places depression in a broader social context.

Why People Die by Suicide
Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., Harvard University Press, 2005.
Drawing on extensive clinical and epidemiological evidence, as well as personal experience, the author, who lost his father to suicide, identifies three factors that mark those most at risk of considering, attempting, or dying by suicide.

Book Recommendation: ‘A Handbook for Coping with Suicide Grief’ by Jeffrey Jackson, providing support for survivors of suicide loss, My Forever Son

Cover of a handbook titled 'A handbook for coping with suicide grief' by Jeffrey Jackson, featuring illustrations of people and greenery, My Forever Son
Book Recommendation: ‘A Handbook for Coping with Suicide Grief’ by Jeffrey Jackson, providing support for survivors of suicide loss, My Forever Son
A close-up of a vibrant red rose with droplets of water on its petals, accompanied by the title 'Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide' by Beth Brown,
Book cover of ‘Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide‘ by Beth Brown, featuring a vibrant rose, symbolizing remembrance and hope, My Forever Son, Finding Hope After Losing a Child to Suicide: Parents’ Resource

Books

  • Beal, Karyl Chastain (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). Faces of Suicide, Volumes One to Five.
  • Brown, Beth (2023) Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide
  • Cacciatore, Joanne (2017). Bearing the Unbearable. Wisdom Publications.
  • Clark, Ann (2020). Gone to Suicide. A mom’s truth on heartbreak, transformation and prevention. Iuniverse.
  • Collins, Eileen Vorbach (2023). Love in the Archives. a patchwork of true stories about suicide loss. Apprentice House Press.
  • Cross, Tracey (2013). Suicide among gifted children and adolescents. Understanding the suicidal mind. Prufrock Press.
  • Dougy Center, The (2001). After a Suicide: An Activity Book for Grieving Kids. Dougy Center.
  • Estes, Clarissa Pinkola (1988). The Faithful Gardener. HarperCollinsSanFrancisco.
  • Fine, Carla (1997). No Time to Say Goodbye. Surviving the suicide of a loved one. Broadway Books.
  • Heilmann, Lena M.Q. (2019). Still with Us. Voices of Sibling Suicide Loss Survivors. BDI Publishers.
  • Hickman, Martha Whitmore (1994). Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief. William Morrow Paperbacks
  • Jamison, Kay Redfield (2000). Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide. Vintage.
  • Johnson, Julie Tallard (1994). Hidden Victims, Hidden Healers. An eight-stage healing process for families and friends of the mentally ill. Pema Publications.
  • Joiner, Thomas (2005). Why People Die by Suicide. Harvard University Press
  • Joiner, Thomas (2010). Myths About Suicide. Harvard University Press.
  • Kushner, Harold S. (2004). When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Anchor Books
  • O’Connor, Mary-Francis (2022). The Grieving Brain. HarperOne.
  • Rasmussen, Christina (2019). Second Firsts. Hay House Inc.
  • Shapiro, Larry (2020). Brain Pain. Giving insight to children who have lost a family member or a loved one to suicide. Safe Haven Books.
  • Wickersham, Julie (2009). The Suicide Index: Putting My Father’s Death in Order. Mariner Books.
A woman in a brown coat kneels beside a grave, visibly emotional, with a vase of red and white flowers placed on the gravestone that reads 'SON.' The background shows a cemetery with multiple gravestones, My Forever Son, Finding Hope After Losing a Child to Suicide: Parents' Resource
A grieving parent visits their child’s grave, reflecting on loss and remembrance, My Forever Son, Finding Hope After Losing a Child to Suicide: Parents’ Resource

Memorial Sites

red rose in full bloom close up

Get new Posts delivered to your inbox.

Home » Finding Beauty in Loss: Poetic Reflections » Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss

Discover more from My Forever Son: Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

By Beth Brown

Musician. Writer. Literary Connoisseur. Always writing, scribbling poetry, turning feelings into words. "Break my heart even further" can't ever be done, for I lost my heart the night I lost my son. Come find me writing at My Forever Son: Grief, Hope, and Healing After Losing My Son to Suicide.

At the whim of Most Beloved Cat, I write as she tattles on the garden cats. Find Most Beloved Cat sharing her stories at Gardens at Effingham: Where Cats Tell the Tales

23 replies on “Finding Hope Through Grief: Poems of Love and Loss”

Leave a Reply

Discover more from My Forever Son: Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading