Mangrief Poem by Kevin Eaglesfield

Wy do I feel guilty
When I see them grieve for her?
When I see the men shaking,
Clenching, fighting the need
To voice it like an animal.
To claw and scream and curse,
And beat the table and cry.
And be held.
Some slump sniffing, blinking, fiddling.
Others, flagpole straight, force hoarse psalms
Through gritted teeth,
And one or two, the rocks holding others up,
Would baulk to find disobedient tears
Slide stealthy down their face.
Later, one last time,
They can all find a secret place,
To be her child again.
They can rail unseen, repeat her name,
Until throat's as raw as soul
And it's all right for a while.