Line Gauthier Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

On March 20, 1991, the 4 1/2-year-old son of the rock guitarist Eric Clapton was killed yesterday morning when he fell out an open bedroom window on the 53d floor of a Manhattan apartment building.
The unplugged version of “Tears in Heaven”, performed in 1992 at MTV Unplugged, won 3 Grammys in 1993: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance Male. The song was introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll in 2004.

Listen to poem:

Eric Clapton's Tears In Heaven

unable to wither away 
and crawl under bedrock
wanting to clam up
turn off all the lights

you the grieving father
in unfathomable anguish
the tragedy shakes the world
leaving it breathless

connecting each one of us
through your heartache 
compelled to share the burden
immeasurable in its wake

the world not done with
the grieving and mourning 
wanting more from you
more than you thought you had left

then unplugged you let us have it
the fruit of pain and suffering
crying collective tears from within
partaking in agony that is yours

poignant in the haunting
of unimaginable despair
moving us all with a ballad meant
to help in our collective process of healing



Read on air by invitation  ~  May 17, 2020  'LATE NIGHT POETS'

AP: Honorable Mention 2026, Honorable Mention 2020

Submitted November 15, 2025 for contest A POEM INSPIRED BY A SONG - OLD OR NEW sponsored by JOSEPH MAY - RANKED 2ND

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Constance La France December 1, 2025 at 3:55 AM Line, so beautifully sad, well done, I enjoyed the audio too, and congratulations on your win in the contest, I missed the deadline but wrote, I'll Be Seeing You, Mom, blessings, Constance ~ Line Gauthier December 1, 2025 at 10:14 AM Thanks, Constance ~ I was happy to check out your poem. It's really beautiful.

Subimal Sinha-Roy November 27, 2025 at 10:34 PM Congratulations, Line, on your win with this wonderfully touching poem. Line Gauthier November 30, 2025 at 9:02 AM Thank you very much Subimal, most appreciated ~

Joseph May November 24, 2025 at 10:37 AM A poignant verse, Very nicely penned Congrats on your win Line Gauthier November 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM Thank you very much, Joseph ~ most appreciated

Karen Jones November 23, 2025 at 12:32 PM Great poem inspired by one of my favorite songs! Congratulations on your win! Line Gauthier November 24, 2025 at 7:58 AM Thank you very much, Karen. Most appreciated ~

Timothy Mcguire May 10, 2020 at 10:44 PM true story ad memory a little boy falling out a five story window. A sad lifetime of what ifs, well written Line Line Gauthier May 10, 2020 at 11:02 PM heartbreaking ~

Gershon Wolf May 7, 2020 at 11:55 AM Poignant penning, Line... and didn't I hear that Clapton himself recently passed away? (Not sure). ~ Gershon Line Gauthier May 7, 2020 at 8:16 PM No ~ alive and kicking. Going through Covid with the rest of us.

Ilene Bauer May 6, 2020 at 2:26 PM one of the most beautiful and saddest songs ever written, line. your tribute is very touching... Line Gauthier May 6, 2020 at 3:09 PM Thank, Ilene. Certainly is.

Tom Cunningham May 6, 2020 at 9:45 AM I remember that tragic incident Line, no parent should have to bury their child, heartbreaking. Your poem captures the parents dispair and anguish well. Tom Line Gauthier May 6, 2020 at 1:12 PM Thanks, Tom. Who could ever imagine such a tragedy and living with that anguish. But the tragedy of losing a child happens everyday... I don't know how parents survive.

John Watt May 6, 2020 at 1:55 AM "Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees / Time can break your heart, have you begging please". I can't imagine how hard it must have been to sing that song and get through it that first time, or any time. No parent should have to go through that kind of tragedy, yet as a public figure, he turned it into an opportunity for sharing his pain and offering healing to everyone who has been dealt that kind of a blow. Thank you for this beautiful commemoration, Line! Line Gauthier May 6, 2020 at 9:21 AM The world grieves with him indeed, still does. Thanks, John.