Even the Weeping Willow: A Gift for Those Who Mourn

This book was inspired by the author’s mother, Mrs. Vesta Emily Stephens Coleman, a gifted poet, two weeks after her passing. The author, Rev. Elizabeth Coleman, wrote the words of the poem that comprise this book after noticing a weeping willow tree in full bloom as she drove to the airport in Greensboro, North Carolina in the early spring of 2005. The weeping willow seemed to beckon for deeper engagement. As the author pulled her car to the side of the road to get a closer look at the tree, the words of this poem began to flow, and she wrote them down.

Elizabeth Coleman also drew the four symbolic renditions of the weeping willow tree that depict each section of the poem. The long branches reflect the seemingly long days of mourning following the passing of a loved one. However, each branch ends with a smile, an end that curves upward, depicting hope. Each blossom was formed by first drawing the eternity symbol, recalling that we are in essence eternal beings. The eternity symbol is capped with a curved line above and below, symbolizing the support that we receive from God and from our fellow human beings.