Have You Seen Jennifer?

Based on a real event

‘Have you seen Jennifer?’ was all around town

Back in ‘78 - she never was found

She was last seen working her paper round

A blue summer dress and a little white pullover

 

"Jennifer, Jennifer, what has become of her?"

 

She rode down the lane on a bright, sunny day

The country air sweet with the odour of hay

Her deliveries stopped where her bicycle lay

That’s all that was left, no need for a coroner

 

"Jennifer, Jennifer, what had become of her?"

 

Bill-posted schoolgirl, all freckles and grin

Ubiquitous pleas that would never give in

‘Have you seen Jennifer?’ - all pale and thin?

She’s buried somewhere, someone said, they’ll discover her

 

"Jennifer, Jennifer, what would become of her?"

 

Her basket of news held the public’s mind

Now her as the headlines, and words, oh, so kind

With collective held breath as the nation pined

If she’s gone, will her family ever recover?

 

"Jennifer, Jennifer, what good could come of her?"

 

Her father, in search of her, called house-to-house

The fire of her loss he could never douse

With the tears of his longing - My sweet little mouse!

You know her, you’ve seen her - what have they done with her?

 

"Jennifer, Jennifer, what will they find of her?"

 

But they never did find her, not even a hair

All the posters long-gone, just her memory to care

She’d be forty-odd now, but she’s rotting somewhere

And the playground-child sings, without ever knowing her:

 

“Jennifer, Jennifer, what did become of her?”

Reviews

[PoisonedFlower]

This is amazing! I love poems that tell stories. And this one tells the stories of so many families who are missing a loved one--a child, a mother, anyone. Spending all those years knowing they're probably dead but never having the closure of knowing the full truth. You captured that!

[Beccy]

Man and kind; two words that often do not really go well together. We are capable of such good, yet at the same time, such evil as to make the strongest shudder in revulsion.

It makes me so very sad that such real events happen.

Beccy.

[Queen of Hearts]

It makes me sad to realize how many families face this kind of tragedy every day. And how they cope with it, who knows? I'm sure it's a crushing blow. The repitition of "Jennifer, Jennifer, what did become of her?" captures the permanency of this kind of disappearance because you never really find out, and the question of "what happened?" is eternal. Very sad, but very well written.

[Sweet_pale_cacophony]

You have this amazing talent..you know.Your writes always inspire me.Really..
It takes effort to write something out of yourself..as in i know i could never write much on anything that did not have an indirect link with myself.It is traits of empathy and compassion,a discerning and an astute (in a positive way) view towards all aspects of life which always reflects in your words.
I like how you have repeated 'Jennifer Jennifer'...it is very effective here..adds to the lingering melancholy to this tale.It is really heart wrenching what happens to kids as in here...this could happen anywhere around the world..
We know of those whom the media reports about...i am sure there are many many more who run away,get abducted,get molested and killed..their family loses them to unknown,but not all of them get reported about.The lines She’d be forty-odd now, but she’s rotting somewhere

And the playground-child sings, without ever knowing her:
made me choke..it is so sad..to think that there is so much that she could have become..a lover,a wife,a mother,a good worker..yet all she leaves behind is all these myriad of possibilities which would never be..

[Bubo]

So many children missing in the world, take Madeline,vanished,Not a trace........Ben Needham, vanished 20 years ago..........not a trace. One of the most frigthening things is the lack of answers, years............no answer, and I love the strenght of your piece, the starkness and the horror, and brutal reality that 40 years later she lies somewhere..........with the internet now, there are so many more that simple vanish of the face of the earth..........we no longer even bother with posters, or photos on milk cartons..........too many of them.........runaways, abducted etc............too many. One of the best pieces oI have read for some time.

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

This makes my chest hurt.. with sadness. So many this happens to, it is bad enough it happens but for them never to be found is so horrible.
To lose a child yet not know for certain... I am glad you wrote of her .. she should not be forgotten .. her poor father and mother..wonderful poem, Devons. You do well with true events. Savernack Forest is also a good one (severnack)?
This is sad and hits you ..

Chloe

[Crowley]

You are simply the best at taking these slices of life and turning them into wonderful tales of heartache and truth. the rhyming scheme really worked well and you paid consummate attention to it throughout. You added all of the little knick knacks that add depth and clarity of emotion. You never cease to amaze me. Nice work.

[Fran Marie]

But they never did find her, not even a hair

All the posters long-gone, just her memory to care

She’d be forty-odd now, but she’s rotting somewhere

And the playground-child sings, without ever knowing her

Another fine piece from you, Devon, this is so sad in it's content and penned brilliantly with the repetitive lines lending strength to this piece "Jennifer, Jennifer, what has become of her?"adds that riddle like rhyme and mystery time element over the years to>“Jennifer, Jennifer, what did become of her?”

Nicely Expressed poem!!

[FlawedByDesign]

Great storytelling.
You've got a nice rhyme going. It really helps in delivering the story while keeping the reader engaged.

Nicely done.

[Abdul Aziz]

This is awesome! I loved the rhyme, the story and, well, I just loved everything about this poem. I really marvel at the way you've presented this very sad tale. Melancholy runs through the poem, but it does so with symphony. It has been months since I've read poetry as good as this! Amazing, mate.

[ashley]

This is facinating. I love the rhyme scheme, very unique. The story itself is very sad, and one too common. I love how you were able to put in a full story in so short a poem, and the ending was very good. Great job all around! :D