A Stone’s Ripple on Water

A Stone’s Ripple on Water
By Bess Terrell

Solitary solace is my partner today
People don’t seem to remember
My husband passed away
Their lives seem so normal

They laugh, smile, joke, go on with life
A reflection of my loss never crosses their face
How can my loss have no more impact on them
Then a stone’s ripple on water

Having experienced the rippling of the water
I know the passing of the stone
Has permanently changed the character of the water
Am I the only one who realizes this?

What kind of world do we live in
When the life of a person
Leaves the remaining world
Visibly unchanged

Our culture is so good
At burying grief and pain
We can go on from day to day
Appearing unchanged

Only those of us
Who have experienced the rippling of the water
Know, feel, understand there is a difference
Once the stone has rippled the water