The Cost to Benefit Ratio of Grief

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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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