A friend has passed away
Not the first time
I've seen myself through murder
Suicide, natural causes
Friends, family, my own child
The burden never is lighter
At my grandfather's funeral
No one dared to cry
Stoic silence is what I was taught
Through all this, I maintain
But I don't think that's healthy
I'm not even sure it's working anymore
Death comes for everyone eventually
Knowing this
Doesn't make it easier in the slightest
Sometimes I think connection makes it harder
You know instantaneously
No time to process
One day they're posting memes
The next, a family member
Taking on the burden
Of telling everyone they know
Friends, enemies, lurkers
Suddenly there's a gap
A missing piece
And sometimes the message goes unnoticed
And they're just not posting anymore
Months, years removed
You finally stumble on the news
And you feel like a total asshole
For not extending sympathy sooner
Death in the digital age is different
Yet it remains the same
