The Rungs In Me Poem by Jim French

There's a hole in me
It grew over 12 years of not seeing you
It deepened and darkened until there was no way out
After years I thought of moving towards the light

I built a ladder with emotions
I secured every rung through reflection
I built all the rungs I had in me
But I couldn't reach all the way

I thought I had time to climb higher
I thought I had time to see you
I thought we had time to have the difficult conversations
I thought we could work through them

My final rung was a phone call
From my brother to tell me you had died
I talked to my mum for the first time in 12 years
And finally I talked to you

In your chapel of rest.


I didn't have enough rungs in me
Rest in peace dad