overcoming grief

The Phoenix Again ~ A Poem by Mary Sarton

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Finding Rebirth in the Ashes: May Sarton’s “The Phoenix Again” and Modern Resilience

In a world obsessed with constant productivity, what happens when we completely burn out?

The Phoenix Again

Mary Sarton

On the ashes of this nest
Love wove with deathly fire
The phoenix takes its rest
Forgetting all desire.

After the flame, a pause,
After the pain, rebirth.
Obeying nature’s laws
The phoenix goes to earth.

You cannot call it old
You cannot call it young.
No phoenix can be told,
This is the end of the song.

It struggles now alone
Against death and self-doubt,
But underneath the bone
The wings are pushing out.

And one cold starry night
Whatever your belief
The phoenix will take flight
Over the seas of grief

To sing her thrilling song
To stars and waves and sky
For neither old nor young
The phoenix does not die.

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Reflection

May Sarton’s “The Phoenix Again” provides a comforting, timeless answer: we rest, and then we rise. Sarton beautifully captures the cyclical nature of human suffering and renewal through the myth of the phoenix. The poem reminds us that “after the flame, a pause” is not a sign of failure, but a biological and emotional necessity.

In contemporary life, we often view periods of grief, exhaustion, or self-doubt as dead ends. We live in a culture that demands constant youth, optimization, and forward momentum. However, Sarton notes that the phoenix is “neither old nor young”—it exists outside of arbitrary societal timelines. The struggle against “death and self-doubt” happens in isolation, hidden beneath the surface where “the wings are pushing out.”

Whether you are healing from a broken relationship, a career setback, or collective anxiety, this poem promises that renewal is inevitable. Rebirth doesn’t require a specific belief system; it obeys nature’s laws. Your current season of darkness is merely the quiet pause before you take flight over your own seas of grief.

As you read this poem, ask yourself:

What “dead ashes” in your life right now are actually harboring the hidden wings of your next rebirth?

Bring Your Beauty ~ A Poem by John Freeman

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Finding Hope in Grief: An Analysis of John Freeman’s “Bring Your Beauty”

What if the only way to heal your deepest fears was to offer them up to the darkness?

Bring Your Beauty

John Freeman

Bring your beauty, bring your laughter, bring even your fears,
Bring the grief that is, the joy that was in other years,
Bring again the happiness, bring love, bring tears.

There was laughter once, there were grave, happy eyes,
Talk of firm earth, old earth-sweeping mysteries:
There were great silences under clear dark skies.

Now is silence, now is loneliness complete; all is done.
The thrush sings at dawn, too sweet, up creeps the sun:
But all is silent, silent, for all that was is done.

Yet bring beauty and bring laughter, and bring even tears,
And cast them down; strew your happiness and fears,
Then leave them to the darkness of thought and years.

Fears in that darkness die; they have no spring.
Grief in that darkness is a bird that wants wing….
O love, love, your brightness, your beauty bring.

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John Freeman’s “Bring Your Beauty” is a poignant invitation to embrace the full spectrum of human experience. It moves from the communal warmth of shared memories—laughter, mystery, and “grave, happy eyes”—into a stark, modern landscape of isolation. Freeman suggests that even when we feel “loneliness complete,” we must not withhold our emotions. By casting our joys and griefs into the “darkness of thought,” we allow them to transform. In this poetic ritual, fears lose their power to grow, and grief finds its rest, eventually clearing the path for beauty to return as a guiding light.

As you read this poem, ask yourself:

Which “fear” or “grief” are you currently holding onto that might find peace if you finally surrendered it to the passing of time?

From Darkness to Light: Coping with Holiday Grief

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In Episode 154 of Journey from Grief to Healing, Dr. Ray Calabrese shares personal insights on coping with loss during the holidays. For many, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s can be a painful reminder of loved ones who are no longer with us. Drawing on his own experiences and the inspiring works of poets like Alfred Lord Tennyson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dr. Calabrese offers practical steps for embracing the season with hope and resilience. Learn how to take a step toward the light, rediscover joy, and navigate the holidays with strength and purpose.

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