Thirteen Months

This one if hard for me, This is about the hardest year of my life and I feel I owe a perfect poem to these three. I have reworked this poem countless times. I have never been satisfied with this poem but my expectations might just be too damn high becaus

Thirteen Months

They died so young, with so much life left to live,
So much future to uphold to, so much love left to give.
So little time on this earth, yet in our hearts they were distinguished,
And in only 13 months they were gone and our hearts extinguished.

Cassie:
It all started with the beautiful Cassie, my cousin, only 18 years of age,
She had been through a lot already, yet for a successful life, she had laid the stage.
She had begun to find her place in life, a great sight to see,
A noticeable positive change in her demeanor, after struggling with her own identity.
And part of this had to be her boyfriend, who she seems to love,
He seemed to return the favor, I wish there was a sign from above.
She went missing for a few days, our family together would pray,
Our dreams of her safety were rejected when we heard what the officers had to say.
The way he killed her was incredibly hard to hear,
I will save details out of respect of her and all of my families tears.
They found her body in two duffle bags in the ocean,
Her teenage killer sat at his trial, barley making a single motion.
Our family still is recovering from the horrible tragedy,
But we will never forget Cassie, for that would be a catastrophe.

Jason:
I met Jason when I was 6, we were in first grade,
It wasn’t until a year later our friendship was made.
I remember like it was yesterday, its 15 years ago now,
We became great friends instantly, I even remember how.
I was listening to Boyz II Men………. ok you don‘t have to laugh,
He commented on how he likes then too and asked what other music I like, while we were doing our math.
We stayed best of friends all the way to high school,
After 5th we never went to the same school, but out friendship remained cool.
It was my sophomore year of high school, I heard the tragic news,
I was playing basketball and almost fainted out of my shoes.
I envisioned his body lying in the swimming pool motionless,
As I tried to move but my heart kept me in complete frozenness.
As I carried his casket, I held back the tears,
My throught so dry, from swallowing my fears.
He is still my best friend even though he is not physically here,
I remember him everyday, and feel his presence near.

Travis:
My older cousin, the only other male,
Being half a decade older, it was his job to give me hell.
I never lost sight of how great he was to me,
Only how I wish for him to grab my head once more for a nugie.
He was a Marine, basically done with his time,
When he was offered the job we hoped would go by him.
So he left for Iraq, shortly after Christmas,
Our first since Cassie was murdered so it was nice he could join us.
But not even two months later, our hearts would be hurt, once again,
As his body was throw from the Humvee, it seemed our family just could not win.
It wasn’t until the next day his lung completely collapsed,
And our family was sent through a relapse.
Only 13 months after one cousin was taken,
Another was gone and our hearts shaken.

I will never forget these three amazing individuals,
They have taught me so much, I just wish with a different integral.
Their deaths were horrific for my 16 year old mind,
But they have made me a stronger person with the passing of time.
And although my heart may never fully heal,
I know with their memories, any problem I am equipped with to deal.
And if I find one too immense for me to surpass,
I have three guardian angels, to guild me along my path.

From a boy to a man, I was hurled into all at once,

Because my life was completely changed in just those 13 months.