Of Death and Grief. S T Kimbrough

poems are a moving personal record of a precious relationship. But they are also addressed to all those who are striving to come to terms with loss and bereavement. This little book will be to those who mourn, a comfort to the brave hearts who grieve at a time that we all have to face at some point in our lives.

J. Richard Watson1

      Durham, UK

1. J. Richard Watson is Emeritus Professor of English, University of Durham, UK, and a long-time friend of Dr. S T Kimbrough, Jr.

      Preface

      The Story Behind the Poems

      This little book of poems reveals how I have dealt with the grief that accompanied the death of my wife, Sarah, the love of my life for fifty-nine years. The poems are a conversation with myself on the journey through the grieving process, which perhaps has no end. Yes, they are permeated with a deep faith that there is more to life than merely living and dying. At the same time, they are honest responses to how painful it is to lose one’s life partner. We had a wonderful life together, which took me through three collegiate degrees, including a Ph.D., all of which I could never have accomplished without her support, and took her also through three diplomas, R.N., B.A., and M.A. She bore four wonderful sons who more than anything taught us how to live and the value of loving one another passionately.

      When I published books, her read-through of a manuscript was essential, and she was often my best critic. When I sang opera in Europe, where we lived for many years, at a final dress rehearsal before an opening night she would often sit in the theater and take notes, which were often invaluable in shaping my performance.