Anne-Lise Andresen Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

17/09/2026

Anne-Lise Andresen
Copyright © All rights reserved

THE UNSEEN Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Sotto Poet

3rd place in the contest

- It Is Hard To Say Goodbye -

   The final threshold.
       Death gives a sign,
       uncertainty and unanswered questions.
   A strong and sturdy bridge,
          that many have walked across.

   Listening in the emptiness,
      a harp without strings.
         Emotionally imperfect.

   Words fail,
      thoughts and feelings dominate the room.
        ~ without need for description
   You have struggled for so long.
        Accepting does not refer giving up.

   The thing I never said 
          meant nothing,
      Words cannot change the course of life.

   A night without a facade,
        reflecting your truth and sagacity.
      You do not need to prepare.
        Follow the light in soothing peace,
   with unconditional acceptance.

♡Like1

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

CayCay Godwin September 24, 2026 at 9:03 AM There wasn't a new one, so I went backwards. There wasn't a new one because Spirit wanted me to read this one. Where to begin ..... first, my silly mood is now outdistanced by a somber one. The depth jumped off the page and into me. ...harp without strings, WOW. There are other WOW lines in here, as well. Felt it, fell it ... Anne-Lise

Alison A Smith September 24, 2026 at 5:41 AM A moving free-verse meditation on farewell, shaped by pauses, indentations, and silences that mirror grief’s unsettled movement. The recurring sense of thresholds, bridges, wordlessness, and light carries the reader gently from uncertainty toward compassionate acceptance, while “a harp without strings” is especially poignant in expressing emotional absence.❤️🕊️

Dorothy Gibbons September 23, 2026 at 1:18 PM Beautiful tender heartfelt write dear Anne-Lise. Picture speaks a thousand words it's so hard to let go in final end of person you loved I'm so experiencing this with my young friend Brad who took his life 💔 😔 😪 on 11th Sept battle demons in his head won.he was the most loving caring boy I've ever met. Funeral 13th Oct I'm going but it's the letting go guess comfort he's at peace now just turned 24yrs old. Your write ✍️ touched my heart n soul a fav 🫂 my forever friend ❤️‍🩹

Deb M September 20, 2026 at 11:44 AM Oh wow Sunshine ….what a wonderful emotive write….a real heart grabber! Lovely….Debx

Hiya Sharma September 19, 2026 at 8:34 PM Sigh, my dear sweet Anne-Lise, this one was such an emotional read.. goodbyes, in any form, are always painful.. "Listening in the emptiness, a harp without strings. Emotionally imperfect" very moving.. the loss, inflicted by death, is the most heart-wrenching.. as it leaves behind a void that can't ever be filled with light, as we hold onto memories, the separation remains inevitable. Felt every word that you've inked here, and truly a fave ~ sending you hugsz and love, with soothing starsz and calming moonbeams ... 🫂💫🌙✨

Jay Narain September 19, 2026 at 11:13 AM Great poem.

Silent One September 19, 2026 at 7:04 AM Goodbyes are the most difficult thing and we can sometimes regret the things that we said and the thing that we did not say... Great poem my friend..

Akham Nilabirdhwaja Singh September 18, 2026 at 10:19 PM A powerful message in the poem: accepting life's final course is not the same as giving up. So inspiring ! Very well done.

Andrea Dietrich September 18, 2026 at 9:56 PM With wise words, you created a beautiful poetic response to the contest prompt. This should do very well 🌹

Evelyn Judy Buehler September 18, 2026 at 4:10 PM Anne-Lise, your poem is beautifully conveyed and the picture is so touching, too. Goodbye is the hardest word, and your compassionate, heartfelt poem on the theme, was a pleasure to read. 🌹

Joseph May September 18, 2026 at 11:47 AM The final threshold, with a peaceful transit

Joseph P. DiMino September 18, 2026 at 10:43 AM "Follow the light in soothing peace, with unconditional acceptance." -- I sense one's journey far enduring than any given moment...even death be not final! You get a FAV!

Ink Empress September 18, 2026 at 5:32 AM I felt the lines "Listening in the emptiness, a harp without strings. Emotionally imperfect." Goodbyes are always hard. And death altho inevitable is painful. Your poem is so very poignant and touching, soulfully moving dear Anne Lise. Very well expressed. Felt every line. Sending you light always Fave it is

Valsa George September 18, 2026 at 5:21 AM Is this about an impending farewell of someone close....? The tone is poignant and the images used are so touching. Lines like ' listening in emptiness a harp without strings' suggest a life at the terminal stage. The poem ends on a prayer like wish- 'Follow the light in soothing peace'. It gives a rare sweetness to the otherwise sad poem. Love and Hugs dear Anne.

Alison A Smith September 18, 2026 at 1:53 AM A deeply moving free-verse meditation on farewell, this poem lets silence, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion speak with quiet dignity. The staggered spacing and short, fragmented lines beautifully mirror grief’s halting movement, while images such as the “harp without strings” and the enduring bridge give the piece a tender, contemplative resonance. The closing movement toward light, peace, and unconditional acceptance feels especially compassionate.

sara Etgen-Baker September 17, 2026 at 4:54 PM poignant and touching. saying 'goodbye' is one of the hardest things we humans do.

Sara Kendrick September 17, 2026 at 4:44 PM Saying goodbye is very hard on the ones left behind for sure, Anne-Lise. The pain of loss and grief is very hard. Thank you for sharing this one with us. Way to go. I love the serenity of the picture that you used. 👏✍️. Sara K.

Ilene Bauer September 17, 2026 at 2:05 PM very touching and powerful, anne-lise! i love the image of "a harp without strings"...

Paula Goldsmith September 17, 2026 at 11:02 AM WOW!!! I enjoyed reading your powerful write. I can feel your pain here. What a great/pretty picture with quote you have here. Hugs...  Have a Very Blessed Day Writing Away................

Daniel Henry Rodgers September 17, 2026 at 9:02 AM Dear Anne-Lise, Oh, my, what a deeply solemn, sacred tenderness in how you hold space for life’s final threshold. In the face of terminal illness or impending loss, we so easily confuse acceptance with defeat or betrayal. But true acceptance isn't a passive surrender, it is a profound act of compassion. When words fail to alter the outcome of life, pure, unspoken presence becomes the only instrument that matters. Beautiful and comforting work, Anne-Lise. Blessings, Daniel

Howard Kerr September 17, 2026 at 6:54 AM Such a beautiful poem, expressed with immense feeling, Anne-Lise. All those well coordinated phrases. Towering work.💕🌸🕊️❤️‍🩹 Many thanks for your insighful review of my recent post. H

Tom Valles September 17, 2026 at 6:16 AM Deeply moving, Anne-Lise. Much to reflect on in this piece. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Heidi Sands September 17, 2026 at 5:53 AM This is beautiful and true. Well written :) hugs