The Inheritance of Grief: Poetry and Prose

by Nishi Patel

Imagine the grief we carry finding its way out of the shadows – alive and wild, in a safe holding space.

The Inheritance of Grief is a free-verse poetry collection about an introspective journey of losing a parent, the courage of coping, and the path towards healing from the multitude of sorrow that unfolds after a loss.

Speaking to themes of cancer, anger, depression, anxiety, loss, identity, and self-love, Nishi Patel’s poems bring intense emotions out in the open to break down the stigma of grief. This book is for anyone to empower self-compassion, clarity, and connection with oneself and our community.


"I came out from the other side through
a light that could not have been found
had it not been so fearfully dark inside"

Genres: Poetry

171 pages, Paperback

Published June 29, 2022

Reviews

[Shelby Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

stunning and helpful collection about processing and healing from grief

[Shameem · Rating 5 out of 5]

So honored to review this beautiful collection of poems by my very own sister-in-love, and first-time author.

I have experienced great pain in my life for a multitude of reasons, but am privileged to have experienced very little grief in the context of losing close loved ones… and I fear it. Terribly. Each time I see someone around me wading through the pain of this kind of loss, that fear within me grows, being as I know that losing people we love is ultimately inevitable for every last one of us. Nishi’s selfless labor of putting her own journey with grief into words greatly normalized grief for me (and I mean that in the best way possible). Because it IS a part of life. And there shouldn't be so much darkness and stigma surrounding it. People should be free to grieve and if we were all more willing to confront grief, and share it, then I think we would collectively be better for it.

From an organizational perspective, Nishi has structured her poetry into sections that map onto her personal grief trajectory. I found this helpful as it provided a loose (but valuable) backdrop to each poem.

Some poems are deeply personal, giving us a window into very specific emotions and situations surrounding her own experience of loss. Others are more about the nature of grief itself or resultant emotional and physical symptoms that come with it. And there’s so much more. I think most readers will find gems along the way that they connect with across the range of what Nishi offers.

[Katie Rodante · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Inheritance of Grief is a deeply emotional poetic exploration of what it is to grieve, and I really enjoyed reading it.

Grief isn't easy, and Nishi Patel doesn't pretend it is in this poetry collection. Instead, she has highlighted so many of the complicated feelings that arise during the phases of grief, and worded those struggles in beautiful, evocative ways.

Patel's words are rife with pain and anger and love and longing, and she expresses her grief in ways that are all too relatable to anyone who has lost a parent or loved one, yet her words remain deeply personal to her own experiences.

The collection is split into three sections - the loss, the coping, the healing. I appreciated this method of organizing the poems, and how raw and honest and full of emotion they are. Where others might only share the view from when they felt healed, or might edit out the tough parts, Patel portrays an honest story of grief, of healing, of finding oneself again after living through hard times.

This poetry collection is brilliant, and I really do hope you'll read it.

[Aimée Scanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection on grief, loss and everything in between. Really enjoyed this and feel it’ll help anyone experiencing a death / break up / loss of any kind ❤️‍🩹

[Dre Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grief is not linear. That was one of the acknowledgements before the contents of Nishi Patel's The Inheritance of Grief . I think it is also a solemn reminder that helps thread the themes of this collection together.

This collection drips raw with blood of memory and all that it contains. Patel takes us back in time through her own personal journey of grief, recalling the loss of her father and the ways that had an impact on her in particular. At its core, this collection is like a swan song and curtain call, asking that we give one last standing ovation to the journey that is called grief as we move towards a space of healing.

Now just because this book is written, at its core, for Patel's own reconciliation and healing, I believe that this is the kind of book that everyone should read once. Grief is universal. Death is inevitable. I think that Patel's words parse through that in a way that anyone can relate to. If you have experienced grief and loss, this book will speak to you .

There are a plethora of poems where I feel Patel really shines. The imagery, language, and emotion come together beautifully. I'll list about 5-6 of them below.
Blame
My Father
Explode
Busy Surviving
Hospice
The Inheritance of Grief

I feel that Patel tapped into the full power of her emotions and experiences here. This is a poignant and powerful debut collection, with much that resonates and even more to interrogate and explore. I so look forward to more from Patel.

[Autumn Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Inheritance of Grief," Nishi Patel crafts a powerful exploration of loss that honors the profound complexity of mourning a father. The poems move masterfully between moments of contained anger, quiet solitude, and eventual resilience, creating a deeply honest portrait of grief. Her remarkable talent and emotional insight shine through in every poem. The collection's emotional depth and raw honesty make it a meaningful read for anyone who has experienced profound loss.

[Kassandra Vilchis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grief is a roller coaster I feel we never get off. This book is beautifully and heartbreakingly written. Patel does an extraordinary job of telling her story while also guiding you through your own grief.