Another poem that came from a visit to the cemetery. I always try to avoid the area that holds the graves of children, I find it too distressing, but this particular day something caught my eye. It was the grave of a very young child. It was festooned with flowers, balloons, little bears, china ornaments, lanterns - just a mass of colour. Then I noticed Birthday cards had been placed there. Although the little one had been buried a couple of years previously it was obvious to me that the passing of time had done nothing to assuage the grief of his poor parents. It broke my heart. I wrote the following poem when I returned home.
In view of the dreadful events in Beslan, Russia and the harrowing scenes we have watched on our television screens of so many people burying their children, I wanted to share this with you today.
UPON THE GRAVE OF A CHILD
Under the spreading branches
Hard by the boundary wall
In a patch of gloomy shadow
Lies the saddest grave of all.
A tiny babe lies sleeping
Beneath the cold, hard earth
Torn from his Mother's keeping
So shortly after birth.
Where was the bounteous God above
Who would not let sparrows fall?
Why did He not reach out to save
When death spread his dark shawl?
In graven words the heartbreak shows
Cut deep in marble stone,
A Mother's grief, A Father's woe,
Who knew him as their own.
Thoughts that the mind cannot contain
That freeze the soul and numb the brain.
This tiny space now cradles all their dreams
All that was assumed to be
The shining carrier of their genes -
Their immortality.
An angel kissed them for a while
And then, in tears, was gone,
Extinguished now the little light
That once so brightly shone.
So stranger, should you happen by
And feel a chilling shudder
Then thank your God that grief so fierce
Is carried by another.
Copyright 2000
May we all pray that peace will someday come to our sad world.
P.S. I am sorry friends. I do not know what has gone wrong with this entry or why there is such a huge gap after I finished. I tried to put it right from this end with no luck. I did not fancy deleting all and starting again. Hopefully it will not happen again.
11 comments:
Thank you for sharing..............
http://journals.aol.co.uk/sdrogerson/SpecimenDays
A powerful piece, Jeannette. Good that you wrote it so soon after feeling the emotion, I think. Maybe that's what gives it such raw energy and makes the reader stop to think. Why don't you email it to one of the broadsheets?
The death of a child has always laid heavy upon my heart, Your poem is very moving and poignant, I also share those feelings and questions of why? God Bless You My Friend
How incredibly sad :( But a beautiful poem. Its nice to read a journal from the UK. God Bless :) ~ Tricia
to lose a child must be the worst thin that could ever happen to you. The thiught is unbearable. The poem was beautiful, you have true talent...........Jules xxx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/jules19642001/Itsmylife/
Beautifully, wonderfully written. It blessed me. Thank you.
http://journals.aol.com/Valphish/ValsThoughts
A lovely poem Jeannette, empathic all through. xxR
Thank you for sharing your lovely poem, Jeannette. I cannot imagine how a parent recovers from the loss of a child. I honestly cannot think of anything more heartbreaking.
You have written a beautiful poem, Jeannette. What a talented lady you are. Thank you for sharing this. Take care.
Susan
POETRY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO, I LOVE YOUR POEM.............STORMIE
P.S. DONT BE SAD, THE BABE IS IN THE ARMS OF JESUS
i have lost a child myself and the grief is so diffrent from losing someone older there are not many things that touch me now ive been through that.the poem is so real to the true feelings that i have felt it is so very moving and beautil.
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