There was a fresh tragedy today -
Abducting our hearts in broad daylight,
Startling the breath from our lungs,
Racking sobs that shocked our bodies
Into a state of instant grief.
The luxury of peace
Was not Reality’s gift today.

He was young and vibrant
Just this morning
A senior in high school
Lifting weights
Laughing with his friends
Flexing his muscles
Flirting with the girls
Bragging about the weekend
Doing his homework like a good student does
Greeting his teachers
And tying his shoes

Seized by sudden death
There is a gaping black hole, now,
Were he was -
A swirling cyclone of darkness and grief
That consumes
The light,
The joy,
The laughter
That was, only moments before,
Him…

With the brutality of the present
Too difficult to bear,
We move about
In a state of numb existence,
Reeling from the impact
Of our beloved child's departure,
But not able to process yet
What it might mean tomorrow.

In the mourning blindness,
I am surprised that
My tunnel vision suddenly finds focus
On perceptions unrelated to the current misery -
It must be the natural mechanism of
Switching realities
To self preserve.

In unsubstantiated wonder
I suddenly notice
The dew on the dawn grass
Giggling as it sparkles and quivers
In the fresh morning breeze;
The trees in the yard
Sway and dance
Like always
In their ceaseless and unorchestrated ballet;
The birds sing their unfailing melodies,
Apparently oblivious to our lamentations
While the sun shines down on all of it
Delivering its unremitting glory
For another day
As if nothing were amiss at all.

04/07/2004

Author's Note: My daughter and her boyfriend both were shocked yesterday when a young friend of theirs died at school, suddenly, from an aneurism. His family has bravely donated his organs, enabling 8 people to live richer lives despite their unspeakable loss. It always amazes me that beauty continues in the face of grief.

Posted on 04/07/2004
Copyright © 2025 Alison McKenzie