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for those precious children

12.16.12
i weep today.
i weep for a world that has lost
wide-eyed innocence,
and will never see the potential,
the beauty, the unique joy of so many
bright children.

i weep for you little ones
who lost your lives to senseless violence
to evils you never imagined
to tragedies you never deserved.


i weep for you who greeted each morning
with joy and excitement
and for you who ended each day clutching a teddy bear
and whispering a prayer
for you who filled your mommy’s heart with a special love
for you who held the key to your daddy’s heart
for you who was just learning to tie your shoe
for you who was a big brother or a little sister or a younger brother
or an older sister
for you who had an angelic demeanor
for you with the mischievous eyes
for you with the endearingly crooked smile
for you who looked forward to Christmas and cookies and snow
for you who enjoyed the hot sun on summer days
as you played and swam and ran.
i weep for the one
who looked so beautiful
in her new pink boots and dress that day
and for the one who always said “please” and “thank you”
as she wiggled and giggled
and the one who sang so beautifully, hitting every note
and for the one who loved animals and a simple breakfast sandwich
and the one who loved to ride his bike and be an athlete
and for the one who left behind his best friend, his twin sister.

i weep for all you little ones who have been taken
because of war and genocide
and corrupt government
and inadequate laws
and atrocities that your family
tried so hard to shield you from
and domestic abuse and random acts of violence
and even selfish mothers and violent fathers
and heartless siblings and
cold individuals and
a cruel world
in need of Redemption and Love.

i did not know you.
yet i weep for you
because in my children’s eyes
i see what you once had,
that special sparkle, that extraordinary light,
that expression of promise,
that same love.
May You Rest in Peace.

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