Grieving In Marie Howe's What The Living Do

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People don 't realize what they have until it 's gone, and the same can be said for life itself.throughout the poem "What the Living Do" by Marie Howe, she pinpoints how important life truly is. While Howe is devestated by her brothers death, she begins to understand the meaning of ones existence. Even though she shuts down due to her loss, she comes to the conclusion that those small moments are the most important. It is only through loss that life can truly be appreciated.

Marie Howe is exhausted by grief, but through grieving she realizes that everyday tasks are truly something that should not be taken for granted. "... waiting for the plumber. I still haven 't called, this is the everyday we spoke of"(line 3). Howe is distraught over