Poetry Review

Oh Joe!: A Father's Struggle to Survive the Loss of His Son
by Joseph E., Jr. LeBlanc
ISBN-10: 0595660320
Review by Heather Froeschl

Joseph E. LeBlanc, Jr. shares his grief with readers through a year's worth of reflections on his son, his life, his struggle with his loss and his struggle to go on. LeBlanc's son died at the age of 31, somewhat suddenly; LeBlanc tried to cope by writing notes about his feelings and poetry that expressed those feelings so well. Here is a book that takes the real raw emotion of a man and makes it an offering to help those who grieve.

The real emotion is evident, and LeBlanc wishes it to be so. Holding on to those emotions kept them real. It is this reality that was all he had left to hold onto, until he let the healing begin. Through his writings LeBlanc shares the disbelief, the denial, the utter sadness and devastation that we go through when we lose someone so close to us. It is through this sharing that readers can see themselves and hopefully find comfort that they are not alone, find encouragement to go on in their own lives and understand this thing, this process we call grief. It is different for all of us, but so similar too, that sharing with another can only be helpful in some way.

LeBlanc's poetry is touching and evocative of thought and feeling. His introduction to each poem, through notes on the feelings that inspired them or the physical situation that helped create them is very helpful to the reader. Not your usual book of poetry, this is more of a memoir and a meaningful message to those going through bereavement. It is also the tale of a family coping in their own way, one day at a time.