A CHILD LOANED

"I'll lend you for a little time
A child of Mine." He said.
"For you to love the while he lives
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven year
Or twenty-two or three
But will you, till I call him back
Take care of him for Me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
And should his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories
As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay
Since all from Earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there
I want the child to learn.
I've looked this wide world over
In my search for teacher's true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,
I have selected you;
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain
Nor hate Me when I come to call
And take him back again?

I fancied that I heard them say,
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done,
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
For the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him
Much sooner than we planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."

Anonymous

DON’T TELL ME

Please don't tell me you know how I feel,
Unless you have lost your child too,
Please don't tell me my broken heart will heal,
Because that is just not true,
Please don't tell me my son is in a better place,
Though it is true, I want him here with me,
Don't tell me someday I'll hear his voice, see his face,
Beyond today I cannot see,
Don’t tell me it is time to move on,
Because I cannot,
Don’t tell me to face the fact he is gone,
Because denial is something I can't stop,
Don't tell me to be thankful for the time I had,
Because I wanted more,
Don't tell me when I am my old self you will be glad,
I'll never be as I was before,
What you can tell me is you will be here for me,
That you will listen when I talk of my child,
You can share with me my precious memories,
You can even cry with me for a while,
And please don't hesitate to say his name,
Because it is something I long to hear everyday,
Friend please realize that I can never be the same,
But if you stand by me, you may like the new person I become someday.

Judi Walker

JESUS IS HE WITH YOU?

Jesus is he with you?
I wonder every day
I sit and wonder why he’s gone
And why he could not stay

Every part of me is empty
I feel I can’t go on
But then I look to heaven
I hear this beautiful song

Mummy I am with him
He holds me in his arms
When ever I am with him
He keeps me safe and warm

He says you shouldn’t worry
I am safe and loved right here
With all the other baby angels
That passed within the years

We have a special place up here
He thought that you should know
Where the Blessed Mother takes
Your place for now until you show

When I hear this precious little voice
From the heavens above
I know that all the angels
Are showering him with love

For everyone that wants to hear
Their baby’s voice so innocent and sweet
Just close your eyes and begin to pray
And embrace him in your sleep

Angela Gibson

IS THAT ALFIE?

Is that Alfie I feel,
drizzle spitting on my cheek,
breeze or gale blowing it dry,
squirt of minnows through my fingers,
labrador snoring on my knee,
Is that Alfie I feel?

Is that Alfie I hear,
gurgle of a moorland rill,
excited sparrows high in leaves,
cello in the hollow of a church,
woomph of rollers cracking rock,
Is that Alfie I hear?

Is that Alfie I taste,
ocean salt on little arms,
pepper, spices, farmhouse stews,
fluff and tang of lemon souffle,
toffee wrapping round my tongue,
Is that Alfie I taste?

Is that Alfie I smell,
shampoo-ed, thistledown hair,
fragrant roses fanned by bees,
freshly caught fish on quays,
onions announcing a barbecue,
Is that Alfie I smell?

Is that Alfie I see,
rainbows fed by squeezed out skies,
cockerel fire, kingfisher flash,
sun-lipped ripples on the side of a yacht,
rockets bursting amongst the stars,
Is that Alfie I see?

Of course it is,
sensing you so free now.
Out and about and above our world, Alfie,
it all makes so much sense to me.

Paddy Hughes 30th June 2007