Voices of the Grieving Heart

by Mike Bernhardt

When Mike Bernhardt's wife died, he turned to writing poetry as a tool of healing. He later solicited the poetry of other people whose loved ones had died, receiving hundreds of submissions from around the world. The result was Voices of the Grieving Heart, first published in 1994. More than just an anthology, it is a companion on the darkest road many of us will ever have to travel: grieving the death of someone we loved.

Genres: Grief

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

Reviews

[Paula Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Bernhardt has poured all his passion and compassion into this beautiful anthology of poems about grief, not only as a testament to his love for his first wife, but to the healing power of poetry after her loss. The worldwide contributors plumb the depths of their pain like fearless divers, yet they do not come up empty-handed. Seeded in darkness, each poem emerges from the page like a luminous pearl. I was reminded of my favorite line in the Song of Solomon: “Set me as a seal upon thy heart… for love is stronger than death.”

[Larry Habegger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone who has lost a loved one must face a world without that special person, and usually we're on our own in trying to figure out how to manage our emotions. Grief is a personal experience, but also one shared by everyone at some point. This book teems with wisdom from others who have been through it, acting as a friend and guide to help you through the labyrinth as you make your way to a changed life. I highly recommend it for anyone suffering such a loss.

[Yvonne Lefort · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so moving, so beautiful. The book has well over a hundred poems about different aspects of grief. Some of them are truly heartbreaking, like one about how the contributor felt after the funeral service for her brother, who committed suicide. And others are sweet remembrances, completely different. It's like going to a grief support group and feeling connected with everyone by listening and sharing our grief.

The kindle version has a nice feature where you can tap on the contributors name and it takes you to a short bio about them and who the poem was for. Although poetry is not easy on a kindle, they've done a pretty good job of it. I admit that I wish I had the paper version since the poems would probably fit better on a page.

[Anne Sigmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartfelt book is a collection of poems edited by Mike Bernhardt. Sometimes touching, sometimes searing, always affecting, they are written by sensitive authors who have experienced grief and loss in its many forms. When our hearts are shattered, the poems in this beautiful book are a healing balm. When we ache for others who are in pain, and we don’t know what to do or say, I can’t think of a more touching gift.

[Danielle Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of really impactful poems in here.