Why?

The night I had to tell my daughter that her friend had only days to live...

The eyes searching mine are blue pools of fear,

She knows I know something she won't want to hear.

I manage to tell her, each word like a curse,

In her fourteen short years she's heard nothing worse.

As reality sinks in she's falling apart,

To see her so broken is breaking my heart.

She begs and she pleads, “Please say it's a lie,”

There's no good way to say it, her friend's going to die.

Then she gets angry, her eyes getting wild,

“What sort of a God would do this to a child?

And what of the doctors? What use are they?

Why can't they save her? They get enough pay.”

The sadness returns, she just wants to know why,

In a world full of people, her friend has to die?

Reviews

[thewholesoul]

sad and touching. can i ask what she died from?

[Mick Burke]

It was cancer. The days leading up to the events in the poem has been hopeful, and we thought the prognosis was good, but something went wrong. Thanks for reading.

[thewholesoul]

wow cancer and she was a teenager! WHO predicts cancer to rise 70% in next 20 years. no one seems to talk about why people are getting it, and why so young, conventional treatment such as chemo and radiation therapy only deal with the symptoms and are not generally successful measures against cancer. best wishes

[Jane Stones]

Wow this gave me goosebumps. This year has been full of my loved ones loved ones passing, its hard. Those questions go unanswered. Im sorry your daughter has to face such hurt but its a blessing to me to see you as a parent who is there. May you be strengthened and she be comforted.

[Mick Burke]

Thank you Jane.

[Belinda Crane]

This is a beautiful piece. It's through your eyes but your eyes are through your daughters. It gave it so much depth. You shared your grief for your daughter's friend but also your grief for your daughter. A really beautiful piece.

[Mick Burke]

Thank you Belinda.

[Marie]

Thata's so sad. It's a terrible thing tohave to explain death to a chile, when thre really is no explanation.

[Mick Burke]

Thank you Marie.

[Karen Arizona]

Sad poem. It's really tragic that your daughter's young friend is dying. I, too, wonder why such a young girl is passing away when she's just begun to live. May God above comfort your daughter's friend as the angels take her home. Better yet, may the young girl have a miraculous turn around and live. Thank you for sharing your poem.

[Mick Burke]

Thanks for the review and the kind words Karen. Sadly the miracle didn't happen.

[Karen Arizona]

I'm sorry. I don't understand these things. I am at loss for words.