Dear Parents

Dear Parents

I did not die young
I lived my span of life,
Within your body
And within your love.
There are many
Who have lived long lives
And have not been loved as me.
If you would honour me
Then speak my name
And number me among your family.
If you would honour me.
Then strive to live in love
For in that love, I live
Never ever doubt
That we will meet again.
Until that happy day,
I will grow with God
And wait for you.
by Christy Kenneally

There's a Baby Missing

"There's a baby missing."
There is, but it is not the one you call yours.
He had soft brown hair that curled in tufts of fuzz around his ears,
and pretty blue eyes like his father.
He laughed at being raised in the air,
and had a ready smile even for strangers.
Don't you remember that he shared it with you?
You seem to all have forgotten.
You never mention his name,
like the pain is not worth the memory
of one little boy.
I see my son in the babies,
the should have been Perry
and the horror of just his corpse.
But I have to smile,
pretend it is all ok.
The camera flashes.

And I will never be the same.

5 Months

Almost 5 months you have been gone
about as long as you lived
I want to blame
or know why
but nothing will bring you back.
People begin to say nothing
perhaps they think I should be over you
or the awkwardness is too much.
I find it harder this week than in the past month,
your loss seems raw today-
perhaps I know that you are gone
no platitudes can fix that.
Only faith gives me hope,
but it is so bitter to find you in faith
instead of my arms.
You were my son,
the one who smiled
when others around you
cried in self pity.
You were the only good change
in years of stagnation and disappointment,
you showed me a bright present and future.
All that has changed now.
All the silly things that seemed important are back in line,
but my bright star has burned out.
The room is even darker than before
now that I know what should be.