The Weight I Carry: A Poem About Guilt & Grief

When Guilt Walks With Grief

Grief is rarely just sorrow. Often, it arrives hand in hand with other emotions: regret, doubt, and that heavy ache of wondering, “Did I do enough?”

This poem was born in that tender, tangled space, from the tornado of emotions that pass through in the wake of loss.

If you’ve ever found yourself replaying the final days, second-guessing the choices you made out of love, or haunted by what you couldn’t control, by hindsight’s cruel clarity.

This poem is dedicated to you. You are not alone, and your love was never invisible.

The Weight I Carry

by Sandra Lynne Mitchell (2025)

I held your paw, I spoke your name,
I did my best through fear and pain.
Yet now the silence wraps me tight,
And the guilt chokes me every night.

What if I’d known a better way,
What if I’d chosen or made you stay?
These questions haunt the air I breathe,
A sorrow I cannot relieve.

They say I gave you all my love,
But love was only not enough.
I replay moments, twist them thin,
Trying to rewrite what has been.

But grief is cruel, and guilt more so,
It doesn’t care how much I know.
It whispers blame into my chest,
And steals away what should be rest.

Still, deep beneath the ache and tears,
Beyond the doubts and shadowed fears,
There lives the truth I strain to find;
You knew my heart, you felt it kind.

You did not leave unloved, alone,
You felt my soul around your own.
And in that bond that doesn’t break,
I know you’ve seen the steps I take.

So if I falter and lose my way,
I look to your love to light my way.
And gently, when forgiveness begins,
I’ll find my way to peace within.

A Personal Note

Guilt has a way of trying to rewrite the story of our love. But it does not erase the care you gave, the nights you stayed up, or the countless moments of connection that lived between you.

If you’re holding onto guilt right now, this poem is a reminder that your heart showed up — again and again. In time, I hope you can lay down what was never yours to carry.

If you are grieving today, know that your feelings are valid and that you are not alone. Sometimes writing can offer a place to put those emotions down. Not to fix anything, but to make space for your heart to speak.

I’ve created a free 50 Grief Journal Prompts guide to gently support you through those moments. You’re welcome to explore them whenever you’re ready.

If you need support at this moment, you can reach out to me for 1:1 pet loss support or visit the Blue Cross Pet Loss Support Community for free group support. You can also explore more heartfelt pieces in our Tribute Gallery, where we honour those who have left us through the legacy of their words.

© 2025 Sandra Lynne Mitchell | Published on Tails of Tribute. All rights reserved.