Upon Departure

by John Roedel

From bestselling poet, storyteller and speaker John Roedel, comes a collection of poetry that explores the concept that our grief as a natural wonder that terraforms the landscape of our world in increments. It can take a lifetime to find peace when our loved one becomes an empty chair at our kitchen table.let’s lace our hands
as if eternity is opening
up the veil into the great
mystery right in front of us

let’s feel our fingers against
each other as if this is the
last time we will touch before
we become celestial kites

let’s part our lips and say
what we should have said
to each other years

“I love you.
I love you so.
I forgive you.

I’m sorry.
I’m blessed to know you.
I’m so grateful to you.”

Genres: Poetry, Grief

147 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2022

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful exploration of grief, love and life.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars overall
#12 and #39 - 5 stars, truly magnificent

Stumbled upon this volume of poetry last night, quite unexpectedly, while searching Kindle's selection of books by Billy Collins and John Ashbery. After reading the synopsis, which included a brief verse, I was hooked. I downloaded it immediately and read it straight through, and found myself crying by the end.

Upon Departure is a beautiful elegy that confronts and embraces the raw edge of grief.


An excerpt from #39

on my last day
here on Earth

let me be like
I was on my very first day

covered in the
miracle of creation

~no wonder newborn
babies cry

~no wonder 45-year old
men cry

it's all such an adventure
it's all such a journey
it's all a circle
it's all such a flowing river
it's all such an endless passage
it's all such a mystery

and it goes on and on and on
and on and on

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's very difficult to rate poetry for another reader, and I'm certainly not trained to formally critique poetry. I will simply tell you that there were many poems in this book about grieving that touched my heart. My own father has been gone for nearly a quarter of a century, but Roedel's initial story about losing his father before he was ready (are we ever ready?) brought back memories of my own loss long past, and his poem about "seeing" his father again brought tears to my eyes. (I miss you still, Dad.) If the purpose of poetry is to help us express what we feel but cannot put into words, then Roedel has surely succeeded.

I bought this book as a gift for my brother-in-law, who recently lost his wife at only 68-years-old to Alzheimer's disease. I read it myself to make sure it was something he would find meaningful (though, as I said, when it comes to poetry, deciding what will be meaningful to someone else can be tough). I am choosing to send it because there is much lovely to be found in Roedel's words. If you are considering this book, however, I will add a caveat: Roedel writes often and frequently of an afterlife and of the promise of seeing our loved ones again, and though he does not always present this traditionally as "heaven," I do think any reader who does not believe that our lives continue on after death in another dimension of some kind would be uncomfortable with this book (in the quite literal sense of not being comforted).

I will end with telling you how I discovered Roedel. A college friend of mine who is also a retired United Methodist minister posted one of Roedel's poems on Facebook that began with the startling statement, "I am a conditional atheist." What followed was a poem about religion that so moved me I copied it by hand from his Facebook page. (And yes, I know there was probably an easier way to copy it, but technology and I often do not get along, so I went "old school.") I have since become a fan of Roedel's. If you think you might like him, too, be sure to check him out at his author website www.johnroedel.com

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon Departure is one of the best books I’ve read on heartfelt poetry, and on loving, life, and losing. After reading, Untied – the poetry of how knots become strings, also by Roedel, and as a writer myself, and one who is also living through grief, I will say that Roedel’s poetry speaks to me louder than some of the other many books I’ve read on grief. And this is simply because the rawness and realness of his pain jumps off the pages, especially to those of us who have also walked the walk – and are still walking through the haze of grief.

In this new release of prose and poetry, the book begins with a short introduction to Roedel’s journey of losing his father, the whirlwind of emotions, the unacceptance and disbelief, till the final acceptance, the ‘what ifs’ of doing things differently he experienced, and how the lingering effects continue through his own journey through life. In this beautiful book, you won’t find a table of contents, nor will you find titles of each poem, rather a story in prose spoken through poetry of words that paint pictures of loss, loving, hope, and eternal love, in metaphors. For anyone who loves emotional poetry, looking for comfort in poetry, or seeks a path in understanding grief, this is a book for you.

[Chris Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some encouraged the flow of tears. Others had me stopping and thinking of good times with different people I miss. One of my favorites had me saying yes. Others try to help but we each grieve in our own way. Thank you John Roedel for sharing these.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book. Very comforting.

[Tiare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!!! A great one to have for people experiencing grief. John is one of my favorite poets. I want to read all his poems!

[Róisín Egenton Lawless · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally one to read books of poetry, but this one is something special.

I stumbled across John Roedel on social media: A poem shared by a friend-of-a-friend that I idly came across on an evening of dirty weather and dithery scrolling. Plain, honest, beautiful words that arrested me. I had suffered a loss and, although I had read some articles and books on coping with grief, nothing touched my heart as much as John Roedel's poems on grief and love. Maybe poems reached me in a way that prose could not, gently nudging my sadness and saying "I get it, I'm walking this journey with you". Since finishing it, I still find myself opening up the book & flipping to a random poem, and it's like reading tarot - the right poem comes to me on the right day. Grateful for this beautiful collection of poems.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a suicide survivor is of course not a requirement for loving or understanding this book. But it was my reason for reading it.
Then I found that its messages and meanings have also been treasured by me in relation to other, more natural deaths such as those of my parents and older sister.
We ALL have experienced departures of loved ones, and likely others not so well loved. This book is for anyone and everyone. What a beautiful gift it can be for someone fresh in their grieving...or not fresh but stuck. Or perhaps, like me, seasoned and experienced in it.