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In the Blink of an Eye, Risk Taking, Afterfall

– Poetry by Lori Ulrich –

in a split second
life shifts
you fall
not sure if
you heard it correctly

sprawled on the ground
truth has you pinned

writing about death
placing it on paper
gives you something to read
over, and over again
words inked in permanency

they hit the paper
with such anger
there are bruises
on the lines

Risk Taking

saying the unsayable
writing truths is risky
blunt, graphic details
stain the page

hearts break
some things we
never get over

I write undisturbed
without comment
safely, until private words
are housed

buried, beneath sorrow
sadness moans

Afterfall

I lay on the cold ground
arms spread wide

tomorrow means
nothing
in this place

it’s getting dark
I can’t see the stars
plans to save you were

lost in the whispers
of night

the weight in your eyes
I couldn’t turn away from

torn open
nothing inside
but silent screams

watching cancer take you
until there was nothing left
to take
but bones
and skin

afterfall
I lay in the snow
hold on
for another day


About the Author – Lori Ulrich
Lori Ulrich

Lori Ulrich is an elementary school teacher at a K-12 rural school in Saskatchewan.  She lives on a farm.  She has been writing poetry most of her life.  She feels a poem lurking around all corners, ready to be written. Lori believes the meaning of life is to experience connection. Lori has published poems in magazines, journals and chapbooks. Lori has a story published with Chicken Soup for the Caregivers Soul.


Did you like this poem by Lori Ulrich? Then you might also like:

Metaplasia and other poems
This is What Death Does
Things I’ve Learned on the Road
Dog Men (A Prison Story)
We grew up on fear and became heroes
Mud Season, Graceless & Violet Abandon
The damsel in distress was not for me

To check out all the poetry available on Dreamers, visit our poetry section.

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