Grief Is the Weather: A Poem About Love, Loss, and the Changing Sky Within
We often search for words to describe our grief, only to find that it changes day by day, like the sky above us.
Some days are heavy and stormy. Others are bright and tender.
This poem is an offering to those who carry their love in weathered hearts.
Grief Is the Weather
by Sandra Lynne Mitchell (2025)
Grief is the weather that lives in my chest,
Never quite still, never fully at rest.
One day a thunderclap cracks through my core,
The next, a soft drizzle pools on the floor.
It rolls in unbidden like midsummer rain,
Soaking my spirit, then drifting again.
A sky streaked with sorrow, with sun slipping through,
A breath between storms, a patch of soft blue.
Sometimes it howls like a wild winter wind,
Shaking the windows, rattling within.
Other times hushes, as silent as snow,
Blanketing moments in memories I know.
There are days when the clouds part just for a while,
And grief wears the face of a sunlit smile.
The warmth of a memory, gentle and true,
Rising like dawn from the love I once knew.
Then suddenly, a downpour; no warning, no sign,
Just tears that fall like the sharpest of brine.
Yet after the storm, I still find my ground,
Rooted in love, where they once walked around.
Grief is a forecast I cannot outrun,
A cycle of shadow, of rain, and of sun.
But in every sky, their essence remains
In petals of light and the scent of the rain.
So I lift my face to whatever may be,
The winds of their memory whisper through me.
Grief is the weather, and I let it flow
For love, like the seasons, will always grow.
A Personal Note
Grief is not linear. It doesn’t follow rules. Like the changing skies, it moves through us in waves, unpredictable, raw, and beautiful.
If your grief feels stormy today, know that the sun still waits behind the clouds.
And if the sky is quiet, let the stillness hold you gently.
Your love, like the weather, is never gone. Only transformed.
If you’re walking through loss right now, know that you don’t have to do it alone. You can explore more heartfelt reflections in our Grief Poems and Reflections or read stories shared by others in our Tribute Gallery.
If writing feels like it might help you find some space to breathe, you’re welcome to download our free 50 Pet Loss Grief Journal Prompts. They were created to support you in those quiet, aching moments.
And if you need someone to talk to, the Blue Cross Pet Loss Support Community offers free and compassionate group support. You’re not alone in this.
If you’re looking for more personal support, I offer gentle, one-to-one grief coaching for those navigating the loss of a beloved animal companion. You can learn more or reach out on the pet loss coaching page when you’re ready. There’s no timeline for healing — only tender steps, one at a time.
© 2025 Sandra Lynne Mitchell | Published on Tails of Tribute. All rights reserved.
