Innocence

 

                   

I want you to know

…that I share your pain

That pain that is so deep, so raw, so unfathomable

So I place flowers at the site

The site of her last breaaaath

A stranger to you, your town, your pain

I want you to know

…that I’m here for you

That you walk among friends of unknown origin

Who shudder to think that they too could be called to collapse in utter sorrow

Wearing their insides on the countenance of what used to be their face

One foot in front of the other until the brain engages and can somehow manage

The far reaches of a new reality

Reaching to every corner of your soul that has not yet seen enlightenment

 I want you to know

…that I continue to keep vigil,

Although it feels like we’ve all gone back to our untouched lives

We carry your burden in the scarring of our nation’s heart

That one among  us could enact a carnage so unspeakable

Forcing us into an acceptance of an all time lowest human reality

I want you to know

…that although he was born of your love

We all loved him

We all share your sorrow

We all carry the burden

We all feel  responsible

So we bring flowers

We send angels

We make food

We send money

We say prayers

We hold candles

We remember, hoping that these acts of kindness will somehow lessen your pain, lessen our pain, erase the ugly reality………

In the end, it’s you.

You have to throw back the covers everyday

And tie your shoes

 brush your teeth

And take care of your other children

You see the faces of their friends when you pass the school.

And you Still look, hoping  to see that sweet face, hear that voice, feel those tiny arms around your neck.

We want to help

We need to help

 we can’t help