A Dark and Cold Sunshiny Day
He picked out his own clothes that morning
wore his favorite yellow shirt with the red stripes
his little-boy jeans
and
despite his protests
the red jacket
He looked up briefly
from his morning cereal
and grinned
as his dad
leaving to go to work
tousled his hair
See you later, Dad
His mom drove him to school
walked him to the door
Please don’t hug me here, Mommy,
not in front of the other kids
So they blew kisses instead
Sunshine brightened the trees
almost bare now of their leaves
On her way home
she contemplated how
at age six
he was already growing up
shedding his baby ideas
insisting on independence
She hummed about the house
pondered what he was doing at school
wondered if he’d like his lunch
She pictured his sweet smile
the unruly hair
that he always pushed out of his eyes
And then the phone rang
and the world turned upside down
A gunman
someone said
She screamed
half blinded by terror and tears
somehow got herself to the school
His dad came from work
their shaking bodies entwined as they waited
They stood beside other parents
close and yet alone
a scent of fear permeating the air
agony at the excruciating not-knowing
Until finally
in one long horrible moment
they knew
They railed
and they sobbed
and the giant enveloping cloud of anguish
did not go away
Back at home
the house rings with the emptiness
left by one small boy
the light in his sparkling eyes forever dimmed
echoes of his laughter intense in its absence
No way exists to make it all right
No peace embeds itself in their hearts
After the ceremony fades away
and grieving friends have gone
one fact lives unendingly in their souls
Their little son will never come home
Even a bright sunshiny day
Can be dark and cold
Dear God, I’m sobbing.
::crying::
So heartbreaking, but so beautifully written. WHY CAN WE NOT STOP THIS!!