Jan Allison Poet Quatrain

Notes About The Poem

The Valley of Loss

When I was growing up
I envied my school friends
They’d go to tea with grandma
and stay there some weekends

My mother lost her mum
at the tender age of eight,
and cancer is an illness
that I have come to hate

Cancer killed my father
his brother and his dad
Dad’s relatives I never met
which makes me very sad

If I could have one wish
I’d travel back in time
and meet all my relations
but death took them in their prime

A factual poem


Written for Empty your soul with Words Contest
Sponsored by Broken Wings


Submitted to
I wish I knew you when i was young Contest
Sponsored by Julie Leigh Rodeheaver


11-13-17

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Gregory Richard Barden December 9, 2017 at 3:45 PM That would be my wish, too, Jan ... this is so beautiful - loved it! Congratulations on your well-deserved win, my friend - blessings! Jan Allison December 9, 2017 at 4:24 PM I am sure there are many that can relate to the poem Greg:-( hugs jan xx

Subimal Sinha-Roy December 3, 2017 at 7:11 AM Congratulations, Jan on your win. Jan Allison December 3, 2017 at 8:15 AM Thanks Subimal:-) hugs Jan xx

Seren Roberts December 2, 2017 at 9:30 PM Congrats Jan on your win. You will have to be a foster nan to children who have no family, make nearly family days. ....Seren Jan Allison December 3, 2017 at 8:15 AM Maybe someone could adopt me I'd promise to behave lol:-) hugs jan xx

Sandra Haight November 26, 2017 at 8:04 AM Such a well-written, but heartfelt and sad, poem, Jan. I too can relate... Congratulations on your win in the contest. Hugs, Sandra Jan Allison November 26, 2017 at 2:32 PM I feel I missed out so much not having grandparents:-( hugs jan xx

Constance La France November 26, 2017 at 7:21 AM Jan, a very emotional write which I can relate to well, congratulations on your win in my contest and best of luck in the next one ! Jan Allison November 26, 2017 at 2:32 PM Thanks so much Constance:-) hugs Jan xx

Viv Wigley November 26, 2017 at 1:33 AM I can relate, sadly, and your verse comes at such a dark time , Jan. Well done, Viv x (soupmail) Jan Allison November 26, 2017 at 6:09 AM Thanks for dropping by Mr Viv and sending you an extra hug:-) hugs jan xx

Brian Davey November 25, 2017 at 1:50 PM Oh dear Jan this write rings so close to my heart with what and who that illness has taken away from me and this world. Congratulations on your win Jan Allison November 25, 2017 at 1:56 PM Thanks Brian, I'm so sorry you can relate to it on a personal level to. But on a positive note today is the 4th anniversary my hubby had his cancer surgery and when I wrote my very first poem since childhood.:-) hugs Jan xx

Joseph May November 25, 2017 at 8:46 AM A heartfelt write Jan...Congrats on your win Jan Allison November 25, 2017 at 9:57 AM I seem to write an awful lot about death lately - we have another funeral this week and now of another we will attend... but the death happened abroad on the journey home so we are just reeling from this sad news:-( hugs jan xx

Roy Pett November 19, 2017 at 5:40 AM Your talent to write is amazing I am laughing at your Limericks then I read this beautifully written poem and you get me emotional, brilliant, GL in contest. :)) Jan Allison November 19, 2017 at 11:35 AM aww Roy you are too kind I just write whatever comes into my mind:-) I much prefer writing humour but I can write the odd more serious poem:-) hugs Jan xx

Edward Ebbs November 18, 2017 at 10:28 AM A very touching poem...nice, Ed Jan Allison November 18, 2017 at 4:02 PM Thanks so much Ed, lovely to see you again:-) I hope you are well:-) hugs jan xx

Joanna Daniel November 18, 2017 at 6:19 AM Very sad to know about this, Jan, well expressed poem :) Jan Allison November 18, 2017 at 7:07 AM Thanks Jo I feel i missed out so much with not having grandparents:-( hugs jan xx

Line Gauthier November 14, 2017 at 10:51 PM Beautifully sad. Extremely endearing. Line xx Jan Allison November 18, 2017 at 7:07 AM Thanks Line:-) hugs jan xx

Arthur Vaso November 14, 2017 at 5:34 PM Yes is sad when everyone passes before their time, Id love to turn back time, nice poem. Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 5:46 PM Yes me too Arthur:-) hugs jan xx

Christopher Flaherty November 14, 2017 at 4:55 PM Would love to have met and got to know my Dads mum and dad but they died before me. He was in a way very bitter and seemed to hate his childhood went into the navy at 16 to get away . But meeting your grandparents may not explain the regrets of your parents because as grandparents they are probably different as they were parents. Its a great conundrum Jan like it Christopher Flaherty November 14, 2017 at 5:42 PM Very very interesting concept and thought Jan Got me thinking and pondering the question Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 5:27 PM Thanks Christopher I agree there would be positives and negatives about going back in time and meeting them, I guess that whatever is past must stay in the past:-( hugs Jan xx

CayCay Godwin November 14, 2017 at 4:43 PM While I know bits and pieces about your family, I didn't know this. Using brevity, you completely painted the strength of your wishing and the 'gray' such a wish could feel. You can't lose in any contest where the poem expresses your truth so well, and this does. Love ... CayCay Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 5:25 PM I knew my mum lost her mother at aged 8 and the impact on her life has been massive, but I looked at the 'family gravestone' (my one stone contest poem is probably the most honest poem I will ever write) and see my father lost his dad at aged 2. I wish I'd had the chance to meet them:-( hugs jan xx

Viv Wigley November 14, 2017 at 6:19 AM Like that time machine existed. Darned phone keyboard x Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 6:30 AM I struggle with my PC and i don't have a smart phone to make even more of a mess of my poetry lol:-) hugs jan xx

Viv Wigley November 14, 2017 at 6:17 AM Sadly, Jan, I can relate to your write through close experiences of my own. A time machine would be most welcome. I suppose we should be living lime that time machine existed right now. Good luck with a fine write. Viv x Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 6:29 AM My hubbies cancer was a turning point in our lives and we appreciate and enjoy every day that we have ... none of us know what is around the corner:-( hugs jan xx

Anne-Lise Andresen November 14, 2017 at 4:47 AM - A heartbreaking poem, Jan - Cancer is a terrible disease that affects so many ... both young and old ... some "win ... but most lose" :( - Luck in the contest - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 6:06 AM Yes it certainly has affected my life quite dramatically but if it wasn't for my hubbies cancer I would never have started writing:-) hugs jan xx

Russell Sivey November 14, 2017 at 4:24 AM I'm so sorry that you never really got to see your grandmothers, that is very sad that cancer has taken so many lives within your family! I'm saddened by this revelation Jan! I was a lucky one though! I got to see my grandparents, both sets, through till middle age. I still have a 97 year old grandmother, and a young 87 year old grandfather on the other side of the family! I even got to set two sets of great grandparents while growing up, great grandpa lived til I was 18! Great Work my friend!! Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 4:38 AM Wow you are lucky to still have grandparents Russell I feel I missed out so much when I was younger:-( hugs jan xx

Wilfred Aniagyei November 14, 2017 at 3:08 AM A sad one, I'm sorry for your loss.... A reflecting read Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 4:34 AM Thanks Wilfred:-) hugs jan xx

Kim Rodrigues November 13, 2017 at 11:57 PM A sad fact <3 Best for a win, Jan! Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 4:34 AM Thanks Kim:-) hugs jan xx

Janice Canerdy November 13, 2017 at 9:17 PM Well-written, emotional, and heart-wrenching, Jan! Janice Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 4:33 AM These contests certainly are a challenge in so many ways Janice:-) hugs Jan xx

Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart November 13, 2017 at 8:48 PM Wowsa Jan, you are an affecting poetess. Tender moving pen, much love and good luck in the contest xomo Jan Allison November 14, 2017 at 4:32 AM Thanks Mo I often move people to tears with my poetry but hopefully with laughter but I occasionally write a more serious poem:-) thanks for your comment:-) hugs jan xx

Richard Lamoureux November 13, 2017 at 7:15 PM This is sad Jan, I can relate. Cancer took my father and grandfather within a few weeks of each other. Well expressed sad and still poetically expressed. Jan Allison November 13, 2017 at 7:26 PM I've always felt so sad not having any proper grandparents - my grandfather was not a very nice man so we rarely saw him and he died when I was quite small and was survived by my mothers step-step mother who was not a blood relative:-( hugs jan xx

Connie Marcum Wong November 13, 2017 at 4:05 PM Same here Jan. I would have loved to meet my grandmother on either side, but I did have a grandfather on my Mom's side I was close to. Cancer took him as well as my grandmother. This is a lovely tribute to their memory. Blessings, Connie : )xxoo Jan Allison November 13, 2017 at 4:10 PM I wish I'd had the chance to meet them Connie, but that's life:-( not a day goes past when mum doesn't talk a bout her 'mummy' its quite heartbreaking she had 2 step mothers after her mother died but not a real 'mother' and the pain is with her to this day:-( hugs jan xx

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