Lindsay Holeman’s most recent poem to appear here was “Let’s Away” (February 2018).
Art of Losing
By Lindsay Holeman
When I was seven, I lost a tooth.
There was a cave where my tongue kept going.
And I discovered that I was whole.
When I was ten, I lost a little toy.
A great search ensued, to no avail.
And I discovered that I was still whole.
When I was nineteen, I lost my car keys.
I thought I would need to walk around forever.
And I discovered that I was still whole.
When I was thirty-one, I lost you, sweet girl.
My furry daughter, the other piece of me,
I knew I would never again be whole.
Lindsay, your poem says so much, with few words. Your last two lines literally broke my heart. There is little in this world harder to deal with than the loss of a beloved fur-baby. Beautiful job!