“I love my kids,” said the mother, though no one was around

From afar I watched her tears fall, she wasn’t making a sound

“It all goes too fast. They are here and then gone.”

“I want to be the elf on the shelf so I learn to be strong.”

So, I walked over to her and asked her to speak

The story as she saw it, I hoped she wasn’t meek

She agreed and began saying it had been a shock

To have a baby so soon in her happy state of wedlock

The sweet baby was healthy, and cried when born

So tiny and cute so easy to adorn

She did her best to raise her child so dear

Often making choices just out of fear

For the safety of the child, it always came first

She was so very proud, she thought she would burst

But, then, came the day that fate would end

As her child made a choice not one of pretend

Her child left her life in the blink of an eye

A drunk driver the cause, the driver didn’t cry

As she looked at me, I saw her heart was broken

There was nothing to say so nothing was spoken

I only knew that when the time had come

The choice was made without a rule of thumb

The mother was left to continue her life

And, in her heart, would consistently be strife

There is no cure for the loss of a child

The heart will always ache and feel defiled

I thanked her for her story, slowly I walked away

I really didn’t know what I could say

I knew I couldn’t help her to resolve her pain

I hoped she would find peace in her beautiful brain

So, I asked that the angels be with her instead

To keep her mind and heart safe, away from the dread