How do we answer ourselves, or cry out to others, in the face of extreme loss? Eventually one makes a decision. G. Greene decided to write. His "Poems In a Time of Grief" is an homage not only to love and the remarkable individual who was his wife, but to their mutual memories and the architecture of how they built their particular relationship, its endurance, and generosity. His poems rhyme, sing, and at times explode or flail about. Many, such as the beautiful and poised "All is Lost" were written in a “house so quiet you can hear a heart ache.” Yet his book is full of intent and energy; the several pieces written in prose carry intense momentum, like "The First 101 Things," which is heart-rending in its closure. When one is bereft, it’s hard to know what to do next, so it became important to this poet that he offer this book to others who may be grieving, or are close to someone who is. These poems, offered chronologically, say, "This is how it was for me, this is what it’s like. I don’t know what’s next." 

– Pamela (Jody) Stewart author of  Nightblind, Infrequent Mysteries, The Red Window, Ghost Farm and Just Visiting.

There's no one way to grieve, and no 'right' way. Everyone's experience is going to be unique to them, based on their situation, their loss, and a host of other factors. We may all experience some common emotions, but how they appear, what triggers them, when they leave, when they return, in what order they occur, their intensity, and a million other things are going to be something everyone experiences differently. This book is, at its heart, the record of how I am grieving and what I've experienced in the first eighteen months after a devastating loss. My hope is that, if you've experienced a loss, reading these pieces may help you put words to some of your own emotions. So if you decide to read this book – thank you. Writing it helped me a lot and I can only hope that it helps you, even if just a bit, to read it. As alone as you may feel, you're not alone. I wish you peace. And if you find a little in these pages, I'd love to hear about it.

G. Greene is a native of Western Massachusetts, and lives there still in the house he and his wife built together many years ago. Poems in a Time of Grief is his first book, offered in the hope that it may help others suffering profound loss give voice to their pain. A second volume of work is already underway.