At a time when so many of us find ourselves alone and isolated, these poems are a steady companion on the path of grief and loss. Enid Sanders has indeed found Words for the Unbearable that comfort and hearten its readers.

It is rare that an author can capture both the emotional and intellectual experience of grief, but Dr. Sanders has succeeded. Having lived through the loss of her young daughter and, later, her beloved husband, she has a personal experience of mourning that gives life to Words for the Unbearable. The experience of grief and loss is vast and deep, creating a wound in the heart and soul of one’s life. Most of us find it impossible to express that experience, but Dr. Sanders uses her work as a psychologist—and a poet—to help the reader identify, name, and deal with the profound and universal aspects of grief. Her unique point of view is expressed skillfully and gently in a work of compassion and understanding that comes from the soul of someone who has loved deeply.

I am wiping tears so that I can write. What a truly amazing gift this is. I feel as though I’ve been seen and heard and understood. Each poem is a picture memory, a reminder, a suggestion, a loving gesture, words that attest to the author’s love. I thought only I loved so deeply and hurt so profoundly, but she’s captured and clarified grief so well, it was comforting to read her words, even though many hurt like hell…Enid Sanders has done a great service; her words evoke strong feelings and encourage reflection, while providing the strange comfort that comes from being understood.