It is difficult to critique something that I know came from the heart so deeply, but I'll give it a shot.

First of all, I think your vision was great. I knew the direction you were trying to take me from the first stanza, and though the path was expected, I still enjoyed each line. You did a fantastic job in taking us where I believe you wanted us to be.

Just about every poet uses seasons at some point, and I did feel your use was a bit cliche, though again, I understand completely. Winter is often associated with loss, depression, melancholy of any sorts. What I feel really brought this originality were your use of metaphors and similes. Phrases like "aimless wonder of the dark," "how dare it be amazed with this missing life," and comparing the gentle purple sunrise to that of a grandfather figure watching his grandchildren really brought about an originality to a common theme.

I enjoyed the technique quite a bit. Even without much of a fixed pattern of any sorts, the poem flowed beautifully from one line to the next and I didn't find myself having to reread lines or questioning transitions. I don't think a rhyme scheme would have been able to do such an emotional piece justice.

The impact was powerful, especially that final line. How you dared the winter to end and the sun to be amazed as it rose over the horizon really added to the raw emotion any person would fell after losing someone so close. The relatability is right on and in my honest opinion, I feel any person, whether they've experienced something similar or not, will be able to feel all you've packed into this piece.