Story of tragic loss
 

Totally off Cobra subject - a lady on one of the writer's forums I subscribe to sent me a story of the loss of her eleven month old son. Since I've been on a poetry kick lately, I decided to turn her story into a poem and attempt to capture a mother's grief of such a terrible event. It was a tear-jerker to write.

Love Child
By Tony Radford

A big surprise, to realize I was soon to have a son,
a family new, a life for two, a journey just begun.

Brandon was the name I chose, a handsome man he’ll be,
a kindred soul, a heart of gold, a prize for all to see.

The pain of birth, a mother’s curse, replaced with tears of joy,
a little angel in my arms, a precious baby boy.

I count his fingers, count the toes on his tiny little feet,
a mother’s pride, the joy inside, my life was now complete.

I’d never guessed that I’d be blessed to have him in my life,
to watch him grow, teach all I know, to someday take a wife.

The months just seemed to sail on by, it wasn’t quite a year,
I felt that there was something wrong, I could see it in his tears.

Behind the glow, a mother knows, she feels her baby’s plight,
a sense that tells what inside dwells, the crying in the night.

I couldn’t see how this could be, so innocent and pure,
and while I cried, the doctors tried, but couldn’t find a cure.

At night I’d pray and plead by day, can something not be done?
This isn’t fair, the pain, despair, please God don’t take my son!

You sent this tiny one to me, my sacred task to raise,
but now you want to call him back, you only gave us days.

Oh God, I know your plans for him are holy and divine,
but all I have, I’d gladly give for just a little time.

I knew I had to set him free and let him rise above,
his gift to me his memory and mine his mother’s love.

Though time may heal the pain I feel, I’ll never be the same,
the precious smile of my love child, Brandon is his name.

Nice poem.

As a parent my greatest fear, even to this day is that I will out live my daughter. That has to be the worst pain one can feel.

Tony,

Very nice and thoughtful too.

Ron

Close... very close second only to the pain of losing a spouse.

Beautifully written Tony.

I work in a hospital that sees more than 9,000 births per year. While I don't work in a clinical setting, there are constant reminders of parents and families experiencing the highest of highs through to what Brandon's family went through. If I'm walking by and stressing about having a difficult/busy day at work, it really puts things back into perspective...