Author(s): Natalie Morrissey; John Morrissey

Health

The death of a child is the greatest loss of all. Losing one's child is a non-negotiable experience that can cast one adrift in uncharted waters in a boat without anchor or rudder. Initially, one's mind is kept busy attending to necessary arrangements-but within a few days, the reality of loss sets in-and does not leave. The order of the day suddenly becomes disorder, and seeing it through is the ordeal at hand for emotional survival. "Adrift: Poems After the Death of a Child" was my attempt to sort things out in poetry after the death of our son John. It is story of loss, heartrending sadness, and somber remembrance of our son; and yet, it is a story in poems that, in the telling, helps me to get through the trial. I hope that my story helps all who suffer the greatest loss of all.