The Cost to Benefit Ratio of Grief
Linea Jantz
__________
you taught me
the logarithm of loss
is infinite
to the power of n+1, where n=
love
the next number in the series is
zero
you can divide grief
among a thousand empty plates
and still have
nothing
to quote Mean Girls:
the limit
does not exist
everyone you love
will die
so will everyone
you despise
so will I
but because I knew you
I have loved
and been loved
fiercely
completely
a Cauchy space is complete
if there are no points
missing
define complete:
having everything that is
needed
our equation is now
undefined
an expression that I cannot
solve
a future without you
<does not compute>
<does not compute>
…yet
all
this
to
say
you were worth it.
__________
Linea Jantz has worked in roles including waste management, social services, teacher, and paralegal. Among other adventures, she taught Business English in Ukraine (pre-invasion) and helped film a short documentary about women entrepreneurs in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Her writing is featured in publications including Palette Poetry, Heavy Feather Review, Beaver Magazine, and EcoTheo Review. She is a reader for ONLY POEMS and volunteers in her community supporting youth writers and efforts to protect the Spokane River.
__________

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Posted in Universal Language July '25 and tagged in #boudin, #poetry