Written on 30 August 2020.

Do You Know What It Is Like?

Do you want to know what it is like to lose a child?

Sit down, let's talk, this could take quite a while.

At first you are in shock, and then you are in denial.

And pretty soon reality puts your emotions on trial.

You lose so much, but the first you lose is your smile.

To others you seem okay, but you really are not.

The grief that you feel is only the start

Because your child now lives only in your heart

You treasure each picture that is all you have got

You cling to memories that you thought you forgot

You know your life will never again be the same.

You pretend things are okay, and you hide your pain.

You just want someone to mention her/his name

So you can imagine that she/he is beside you again.

Sometimes you feel like you are going insane

You still feel all alone, even when in a crowd.

Others can speak of their children of whom they are proud,

But to talk about your child, somehow isn't allowed

So your child's memories are hidden under grief's cloud

You just want to mention her/his name out loud.

With each day you are reminded of all you have lost.

And how much your loss has ultimately cost

Your child's hopes and dreams have been tossed

So before you judge, keep your fingers crossed

That you never know the pain of a child's loss.

You hold back tears, because they would be a stream

You cry every day, but you really want to scream.

"My child mattered, how can people be so mean?"

You pray for a visit, or vision in the form of a dream

So before you tell me some over used silly cliche'

Like "She/He is in a better place" or "things are better this way"

Think about what you are about to say

I really mean it when I tell you, that I hope and pray

That you never know how we feel each and every day.