What Do You Say?

This is the only way I know how to cope with this kind of thing.

What do you say

When you hear about murder,

Shootings and bombings,

Suicide, rape,

A child found dead in a river?

 

What human words can express

That depth of horror?

 

You say, “That’s awful,”

And shift uncomfortably in your seat,

Eyes downcast,

Waiting for the awkward moment to pass by

And fade from your memory forever.

 

But for some people it doesn’t fade.

 

What can a mortal voice do

To give expression to grief?

 

Maybe it’s the only real time

To take the Lord’s name in vain.

But maybe it’s partly a prayer -

“Oh, my God.”

 

What do you say

When somebody tells you their father has cancer?

You say, “I’m praying for you,”

Because it’s all that you can.

Maybe an embrace

Speaks better,

But it’s not always possible.

 

What do you say

When you read about the dead ones,

When you look at a picture

In the newspaper

And think to yourself,

These people were real.

They had faces

And smiles

And a special color of eyes.

They had favorite things

And a laugh all their own.

They had friends

And family members

And a life just as intricate

And beautiful

As mine,

And now, all that’s taken away.

 

What do you say

To the ones who survive?

What do you say

To the ones who remember,

The ones who can never forget,

No matter how many of those agonizing moments pass?

 

What do you say to the ones who are left behind?

 

What do you say

When faced by the horror

Of human nature,

A nature you can’t understand,

A nature you share?

 

What do you say

When your soul fills with tears?

 

There’s nothing you can say,

Because there are no human words

For the sound made by a breaking heart.

Author's Note

A mother and her four-year-old son were murdered in their home in the town where I live last week. The woman's husband came home and found them dead, killed by gunshot. I don't even know what else I can say - that's what the poem is about. Please pray for their family and friends, and for the first responders who witnessed this.

Reviews

[Archia]

This poem is so powerful, it really got to me things usually don't get to me. I loved the lines "And a life just as intricate/ And beautiful/ As mine" those really made me think about the lives of those that have died and that everything that surrounds me surrounded them. I also loved the last two stanzas, it was a perfect note to end on and it really brought the whole poem together.

[AliciaB]

Thank you. I'm glad you were touched by this. Thanks for sharing that - it means a lot.

[Emily]

Very nice poem!
What a sad story, I feel so bad for the husband.
Keep on writing!

[AliciaB]

Thank you.

[Mary Helda]

Wow,,, a deep moving piece,,there is sooooo much truth bundled up in it...that is indeed the nature if mankind and the most powerful thing that we can do is pray...great poem...made me a little sad:-(

[AliciaB]

Thank you. I'm glad you were able to connect with this poem.

[Mary Helda]

You are welcome:-)

[barleygirl]

This poem is very well-written to address the many horrors that rain down upon us unsuspecting humans, often by other unimaginably sick humans. Even tho your entire poem hits the message thru-out, I am more moved by the parts that pertain specifically to this recent event you mention in your note.

Your poem starts to really deliver a powerful message here: "When you look at a picture in the newspaper" and the next 13 lines . . . this could be a stand-alone poem with intense impact. This is what most empathetic people think when hearing or reading about any senseless mortal crime. You've captured it perfectly, all the basic concerns that run thru our minds.

All in all, you've picked a simple observation about life (not knowing what to say) & you've elevated it to a level of being very thought-provoking.

[AliciaB]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Érenn]

You know I can relate to this to a very large extent, might have not happened in the vicinity, but I lost someone like that. And I also lost some or the other in all the illnesses and situations you have expressed here. This poem, raw powerful and definitely not something you could end up digesting that easily. But I love what you said here. The line hugging someone would express better, was really touching. No layers as such yet one ends up in layers of thoughts. A very well written prose poem. Hope things get better at your end as well. What transpired there is truly horrific,I can only imagine....

[AliciaB]

Thank you very much for sharing this. I am sorry for you for undergoing those experiences... but again, saying so doesn't really cut it. We're right back to that paradox of being unable to express sympathy in words. At least we can relate to other people through shared experiences like this, even if those experiences are horrible. Thank you again.