Who is Pandora's Box?

My beautiful mother died on June the 8th, 1986. I was 11 years old.

This poem describes the scene where my siblings and I were told of her death. The emotions are interspersed with the thoughts I had at the time. I found this quite a powerful way of writing as I could describe the scene, and allow you insight into the sequencing of thoughts that had occurred.

I have chosen to personify death, yet use an inanimate object to describe my mother. This was mainly due to the connotations associated with the story of Pandora's Box. The pain of losing someone so wonderful is intense, and the description only just begins to illustrate the feeling.

Lastly, it is a lesson. On the impact that adults can have on children. We were left to support ourselves and left to whisper words of comfort to each other in the night. An incredible burden was placed upon us, and it is only beginning to lift.

Thank you for allowing me to share this burden with you. Please feel free to post comments about any of my poetry :)