Author Archives: Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“Crossing the Bar” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Tennyson writes about his own death in this famous nineteenth century poem
Posted on November 18, 2019 by Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

In his 1889 poem “Crossing the Bar,” Alfred, Lord Tennyson writes of his impending death. A sandbar in shallow water represents the barrier between life and death in this poem, in an extended metaphor for which the poem is named. … Continue reading →

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“It’s Ok That You’re Not OK” by Megan Devine

Psychotherapist Megan Devine wants us to rethink our relationship to grief
Posted on November 8, 2019 by Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“It’s Ok That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture that Doesn’t Understand” is psychotherapist and grief advocate Megan Devine’s offering to the world of grief literature. In it she draws from her experiences as a therapist … Continue reading →

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“Who You’d Be Today” by Kenny Chesney

A country ballad about losing someone before their time
Posted on November 5, 2019 by Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“Who You’d Be Today,” a 2005 country song recorded by country music superstar Kenny Chesney, addresses the grief of the song’s narrator after losing someone close to him. The song appears on Chesney’s album “The Road and The Radio,” released … Continue reading →

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“I Drive Your Truck” by Lee Brice

A country ballad about loss inspired by an interview on NPR
Posted on October 29, 2019 by Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“I Drive Your Truck,” a 2012 country song recorded by Lee Brice and written by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary, addresses the grief of the song’s narrator who has lost his brother. During the chorus, Brice croons the … Continue reading →

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“My God, It’s Full of Stars” by Tracy K. Smith

From the volume "Life On Mars"-- an elegy for the poet's late father
Posted on October 14, 2019 by Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Tracy K. Smith, who served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019, wrote a brilliant poem called “My God, It’s Full of Stars,” which appears in her Pulitzer Prize-winning 2011 volume of poetry titled “Life On … Continue reading →

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“Samantha Jane’s Missing Smile: A Story About Coping With The Loss of A Parent” by Julie Kaplow, PhD, and Donna Pincus, PhD

A picture book to help young children cope with death
Posted on October 4, 2019 by Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“Samantha Jane’s Missing Smile: A Story About Coping With the Loss of A Parent,” written by Julie Kaplow and Donna Pincus, and illustrated by Beth Spiegel, is a children’s book for ages 4 through 8 that compassionately guides families through … Continue reading →

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