The grief we’re not allowed to feel
Can somehow still be very real
Like how I cried for my best friends dog
When he peed on her leg
She knew it was love
12 years that boy had been chosen family
Who wiggled his whole self for his favourite Auntie
I think of the man behind the counter
That was an unexpected encounter
I came to return my mums medication
Another box ticked, I felt no hesitation
Professionally, he apologised for my loss
Then read the name on each little box
I noticed his eyes fill up with tears
Lyns gone? He whispered. I’ve known her years
We’re not supposed to take to our beds
And suffer the loss of our best friends pets
No time off work is permitted to heal
When you lose a customer who made you smile
The grief we’re not allowed to feel
Can somehow still be very real
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Author:
jenny.g (
Offline) - Published: January 29th, 2026 03:15
- Category: Reflection
- Views: 9
- Users favorite of this poem: Tristan Robert Lange, Paul Bell
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Comments3
Who is it appropriate to feel grief for or rather maybe who is it not appropriate to feel grief for. A good reflective poem
Jenny, I recognize this kind of grief all too well…the losses we’re told don’t qualify, but still sit heavy in the body. You honor those moments without apology, and that validation matters more than people admit. Thank you for that. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
A lot of people grieve more for an animal than they do for humans.
Sure there was a debate in parliament for time off to grieve your pet, and rightly so.
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