Sandyhook Requiem
Friday 12-14-12 started as any other day
Dressing for school, hurried breakfasts, hugs, little ones at play
Dedicated, loving teachers there in the morning
As dedicated, loving parents hand-off their living treasures
Little beating hearts and chubby hands
Giggles and greetings, crayons and colored clay
Chaos and unspeakable violence breached the walls
Of an institution felt safe and warm
By one confused, angry and hurt
An invisible young man now a house-hold name
To the horror of a nation
Yes, even to the shock of the world
And the deep searing grief of the families
Precious lives now cruelly cut short
The aftermath of confusion and pain
The lack of understanding
What are we to do?
Who does this? Who?
Why? WHY?
No answers, only pain
For the children, for their teachers made heroes in one final act
For the mother who died alone in her home
For the father and brother left behind
Trying to make sense of the senseless
Too many guns they say
Too little help for the lost they say
Be kind they say
As if being kind afterward matters so much
When being kind before…noticing…caring….
Might have stopped this?
We weep as a nation, we rage
We want to help
What to do?
What can we possibly do?
I think of these families preparing to bury their dreams
During a time that should have been joyous
Christmas
A time of giving…
Grief and sadness, pain and loss
Among the wreathes and trees, ribbons and gifts
Looking to the Heavens for 27 bright new stars
God…please give me the wisdom to give a gift
To remember them
Always
Teach me to care
Show me how to be compassionate
Give me the bravery to intervene when things aren’t right
Give me the fortitude to stand up against wrong
Open my eyes to see those who are lost and feel invisible
Remind me to hold close those I love
For You may call them home before I’m ready to let go
Teach us all that we are connected
We are family
We are ONE community
One world
All people
Maybe then, just maybe
We will really see the 27 lost that day
This is our chance
From pain hope may spring
Let it come.
If you have peace and abundance
Won’t you please share it with just one who does not?
My family and I cannot think of one single way
To honor those lost at Sandyhook more
Than to shine a light into the horrible darkness
Even if we’re afraid.
God help us all.
~~Maria Appleby, Champaign, Illinois, USA, 12-16-12
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Absolutely beautiful <3
Reblogged this on cancerkillingrecipe and commented:
I can’t find the right words…… But I thing Maria did…….God Bless……..
Thanks a lot for this post. I had no words too – only tears…
Yes, we are all One. And, yes, we all grieve. Thank you for expressing it so eloquently.
Thank you for expressing what we are all feeling so beautifully.
You found the words I was unable to find. What a beautiful and heartfelt post.
Beautiful!
Reblogged this on Jennifer's Journal and commented:
I couldn’t find the words for this terrible tragedy, but I think Maria did. Please read.
Thank you for your post. Very nice tribute. God Bless.
Reblogged this on modernathenians.
I have nominated your blog for the Very Inspiring Blog Award! Thank you for making the world a better place. More details here: http://marymeddlemore1.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/post-50-beautiful-people-nominations-for-very-inspiring-blogs/
Very best wishes
Mary
Thank You, it had to be said, and You did, “VERY WELL”.
Beautiful…
Reblogged this on Gorgeous Company.
Nice Tribute.
Beautifully written, thank you.
Beautiful.
[...] I saw a post today, which you can see here: Sandyhook Requiem [...]
Reblogged this on .
So powerfully written and with so much heart. Thank you for expressing with such clarity what the rest of us are feeling.
Reblogged this on ELANA – The Voice of the Future.
Reblogged this on therealkelvincambridge.
[...] From Maria, Sandyhook Requiem [...]
Reblogged this on My Blog.
Reblogged this on chaotiqual.
Hi everyone! I am very overwhelmed at your comments! Thank you for allowing me to try and express how I feel about this. Although I have had this blog for a few years, it is sadly neglected and I am still “new” to how everything works and how to properly acknowledge everyone. Please forgive my failings with this. I hope to become better versed with polite blogging rules and I just want to thank and acknowledge all of you. Thank you. It means a lot to me!
this was beautiful <3
Reblogged this on My Life and commented:
This is just to remind us of the ones that cannot be with us during Christmas.
Beautiful
Reblogged this on Diary of a Cupcake Virgin and commented:
An amazing poem about such a dreadful happening.
They were the same age as SC – he asked why they got shot, I had no answer.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all the parents who lost their children in this tragedy, and all parents who have lost children to violence.
Reblogged this on agirlsbookblogandwhateverelse and commented:
Everybody reblog this from Maria’s Musings. Get this poem out there.
Reblogged this on lovelyseasonscomeandgo.
Beautifully done. Written with an open heart. Thank you.
We all have our stories, I agree. We all feel pain. We all need a kind act or gesture to get us through the rough patches. And hopefully, we will all pay if forward and extend loving kindness to all who cross our paths. Perhaps if we do, another event such as this will be avoided. Maria says it so well and describes how we all weep for souls set free sooner than we were ready to release them.
Wonderfully long and all encompassing poem for the victims of a tragedy that has impacted people all around the world. By some strange coincidence I stumbled on a re-blog of this poem within 1 hour of reading 27 Acts of Kindness by blogger thirdeyemom – http://thirdeyemom.com/2013/01/23/27-acts-of-kindness/#comment-13476
You both acknowledge the perpetrator as a victim, along with his surviving family, a big step in the right direction.
Beautiful poem Maria! I also wrote a poem…about Victoria Soto. In case you want to read it, here’s the link:
http://sued51.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/a-poem-for-victoria-soto/
Reblogged this on PATRIOT PROMOTIONS, PR & PRODUCTIONS and commented:
We should never forget the pain and loss of the families at Sandy Hook. God Bless them all and may their hearts find some peace. This is a wonderful requiem.