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Reliquiae (The Remnants)

What Comes Back When Someone Dies?

By Paul StewartPublished a day ago 1 min read
Top Story - April 2026
Isle of the Dead: "Basel" version, 1880 By Arnold Böcklin - 1. Unknown source2. Bridgeman Art Library: Object 838233. Kunstmuseum Basel, online collection, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1690675

memorially

broken pieces

sensorially

spectral or shrapnel

remnants

shards create charades

façades

fragmental particles

pieces

microcosmic plastics

of the former in the latter

eyedrops of cracked pepper seeds

catch in nasolacrimal

-

footprints in sand, cemented

-

stolen moments

replayed and replayed

laughter in mirrors

photographs that stare

heaviness on belly or spine

body heat on body heat

metallic taste in mouth

their blood, life

recalled perfume and odour

remembered breaths

mantric anecdotes

replayed and replayed

the tears, salty residue

caught on cheeks

tide-marks

-

when you let go

its the hardest thing

saying farewell

is unfare

saying goodbye

rarely good

the blessing

is what comes back

*

Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: I decided to do two more, one about addiction, entitled from the brink, and this one, about grief. Inspired a little by the way my brain sometimes remembers things related to those who have passed and this beautiful couple of songs The Hardest Thing and Orange County from the most recent Gorillaz album, The Mountain, which is all about death, grief and moving on from it, as well as the afterlife.

artElegyFree Verseheartbreakperformance poetrysad poetrysocial commentarysurreal poetry

About the Creator

Paul Stewart

Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.

The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!

Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!

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Comments (4)

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  • Janis Masyk-Jackson7 minutes ago

    So well written. Congrats on Top Story!

  • Awesome, 🎊 Congratulations on your Top Story🎊

  • Tiffany Gordonabout 24 hours ago

    Brilliant work, Paul! Beautifully-penned!

  • Harper Lewisabout 24 hours ago

    Will come back to listen to the music.💖

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