Oh my heart, this is so sad. I don't and probably never understand how anyone can harm a child. They are our gifts in this world.

Writing about death can be difficult. It can drag up our own fears about it. Here we have the worst death: murder, and of a child, and in the worst possible way. How do you write about that? Do you write from the perspective of the child? No, that would create too much reality. Better to explore other avenues, but not in obvious ways; rather like this:

'Haven't you heard?"
^
To me this powerful prompt, saying, 'hey people, you really should know about this tragedy! '

This local story is a earthquake; its destruction terrible, but the tremors seemingly failed to travel.

This poem builds in its sadness; layering information carefully until we reach the funeral. The imagery here, the toys offered up, the receiving arms; both sincere and sinister.

The last stanza really hit home:

'Prison's brutal promise that a person can change'
^
This raises questions: does the justice system work? Does the punishment fit the crime? Should murder mean the death penalty? Does the fact that awful crimes like this have become near everyday, meaning, the punishment can be less?

The truth is poems like this raise awareness. It is awareness that helps form change.

Thank you for raising mine.

Take care,

Michael

I write this as I wipe away tears... tears for those poor children, tears for women and men alike that are unable to have children when there are people put their willing to sacrifice even kill their own in cold blood.

This is sad and as Michael says raises awareness, it hit home to me because I feel so guilty for not leaving my ex when he hit me the first time I was pregnant but that I only found the courage to do so after he made me lose our baby and it eats me up each day.

May these little souls RIP.
Em