As someone who has experienced many losses, Hazel has often turned to writing to process her emotions. Grief affects us all, yet it is complex and different for everyone. It is also an emotive subject, hard to talk about, and we can often struggle for the right words when faced with bereavement - whether that be our own or the losses of others.
Through the medium of this collection of poems, Hazel has skilfully opened that challenging dialogue, giving special attention to pet loss - a form of grief which is overlooked by many. With these words as guidance, we can begin those conversations using the poems as openings or even continuances for both ourselves and anyone we are supporting. Ultimately we will learn to understand and witness grief from different perspectives and to be kind to ourselves and others.
When she shared her first poem, 'Whispering to your Heart', Hazel was overwhelmed at its impact. Many who read it thanked her for articulating their grief in a way that made sense, in some cases enabling them to begin their long, healing journey. Since then, she has been asked countless times to publish her poems and now, Hazel is delighted to have done so. In this, her first compendium, you will find poems covering many areas of grief (including anticipatory grief) and through these, by dipping in and out of them as needed, she hopes that you, too, can start a journey of recovery.
Hazel's poems are full of intense emotions, delving as they do into the depths of mourning, so this is in no way a light-hearted read. It is, though, a must for anyone experiencing grief and loss, whether it be their own or that of someone close.