The following poems are written from my first-hand experience of grief and a myriad of other loosely connected emotions, due to sadly losing my father after a three-year battle with the incurable Mantle Cell Lymphoma in late 2023. Importantly, I strongly believe that no two grief journeys are the same, and so this collection is in no way a guide to what grief is, only what it may look and feel like. They have however provided me with an outlet to express my thoughts and feelings throughout my journey. I would recommend such an outlet to anyone who finds themself in the inevitable grief journeys of life. My father was the best, most loyal, funniest and kindest man I have, and will ever know, and I will continue to miss him every day. However, I hope that through these poems I can continue to uphold his legacy. Throughout the first year without my father, I found an unexpected outlet to express my grief, being poetry. The reason this is unexpected is that I have always been more of a numerical person, having a double Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering and Science. I say this so that for people searching for that outlet during the times of need, do not discount anything no matter how far from normal it may seem initially. At the time of publication I have written 73 poems, with these 25 being shortlisted with the help of friends and family. These poems are in chronological order of writing, with the only exception being the final poem which was written in the first week of writing. I am publishing these as I am proud of them, however I am also a big believer in mental health awareness, especially in young men - and I hope the following open, raw and vulnerable poems may provide comfort. Even if only one person is comforted by the following then I am content with that. Thank you for being interested and I hope you gain something out of the anthology!
