When I Am Gone: Poems for times of loss and grief

by Becky Hemsley

A collection of poems to help ride the waves of grief and provide comfort in the wake of loss.

Becky's words have been read as part of funerals, eulogies and memorials all around the world, providing comfort when people need it most.

Written with love, When I Am Gone is here to remind you - more than anything - to be gentle with yourself.

Genres: Poetry, Grief

152 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2023

Reviews

[Sarah McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of poems was able to help me not feel so alone with my thoughts and emotions. It gave me sense of hope. If you have lost someone close to you, I highly recommend this.

[Abbie Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of poetry, full of incredibly touching words. I have recently experienced the sudden loss of a dear family member, and having never experienced grief like this before, I really needed this. After reading this, I did not feel so alone or lost with my waves of emotions. I was able to find comfort in these words, and courage to embrace my grief through this hell-ish time. There is no rule-book or right/wrong way of managing grief, and this collection illustrated that beautifully.

I am still in the early stages of grief, so I will definitely revisit some poems at different times as life goes on. Ones that have stuck out to me in my first read are Shine, Little Things, Full, Firsts, Harder, and Invisible Ink.

There's not really much else to say, because the targeted audience is clear. For anyone whose going through any kind of grief, I would strongly recommend this collection.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE reading these poems again and again…& again!!! July 29, 2025: I LOVE Becky Hemsley!!! Her poems know my heart! January 26,2025: I had read a number of Hemsley’s poems on FB that I really liked so decided to buy one of her books. I chose this one because of the grief and loss I have experienced over the last year. So many of the poems touched my heart and soul.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some poetry really speaks to me. I read some of the author's poems online; they are beautiful! Ordered 2 copies, one for me and one for a friend who's having a rough time.

[Katka Olajcová · Rating 5 out of 5]

K tejto knižke som sa dostala úplnou náhodou...
Minulý rok mi zomrela moja milovaná stará mama. Všetko bolo čerstvé, všetko bolelo a snažila som sa zmieriť s tým, že tu už nie je. A vtedy mi na facebooku vyskočila jedna z básní v tejto knihe a, v dobrom slova zmysle, ma úplne odrovnala. Tá jedna báseň zahrňovala všetko, čo som cítila, a čo cítim stále. Zistila som autorku a názov knihy a potom som si ju kúpila a darovala k Vianociam.
Začala som ju čítať na starkine narodeniny, dve básne každý deň (no, takmer každý deň, myslím, že 4x som nestihla).
Plakala som pri každej jednej. Autorka absolútne dokonale dokázala obsiahnuť to, čo smútok a žiaľ za milovanou osobou obnáša, čo človek cíti, ako sa s tým zmieruje a ako v sebe uchováva nádej, že raz sa znovu stretneme.
Knižka je krásna, slovami sa nedá opísať, ako ma zasiahla. Odteraz vždy, keď budem smutná, si ju vytiahnem a otvorím na náhodnej strane, dúfajúc, že mi to prinesie trocha útechy.

[Peter Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous little book of poems about loss, grief, mourning, yearning, and death.

The author did a really good job of writing poems that are applicable and relatable to lots of people and scenarios. I could only read a few at a time; as a person struggling with grief I found it a bit overwhelming. But in a good way... Just needed moderation.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my mom passed, poems from Becky Hemsley started showing up on my Facebook feed and led me to this book. I recommend this book to anyone who is grieving. Sometimes I pick it up and turn to a random page and almost always receive a message I needed at that time.

[Kutt Kutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender, heartfelt collection about grief that feels honest and human. Mountain Climbing especially stayed with me — its imagery of finding different ways around the mountain of loss was powerful and true. Gentle, comforting, and deeply relatable❤️‍🩹

[Karen Barnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of poetry. This title intrigued me because I have lost several loved ones. A few of the poems tugged at my heart strings, but several didn't make sense to me.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

These poems seem to me to be about the loss of a life partner. Not really any other loss like a parent, or child or any other person.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ this was beautiful and exactly what I needed. I felt seen and a lot of these poems put feelings into words that at the moment I cannot express

[Blanche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library book. I wanted to pick a few favorites to put in my journal... but it could not be done! I loved them all. So I bought 2 copies of this... One for me and one to pass on to another!