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Emily’s Story

January 15, 2010



Only five years old
Emily hold tightly to her doll
She’s trapped in an unknown world
So sweet, so innocent, and so small


Night is nearly upon them
As she sits shivering with cold & fear
Lying in her mother’s arms
Wondering, tonight, what danger is near


She finds it hard to fall asleep
Lying beneath the cruel night sky
As they hide in their secret corner
Hoping to be left alone by those who pass them by


Emily is much too young to understand
She cries for home, her room, her things
But mom tells her, “It’s okay honey,
We have each other, our hopes, & our dreams”


In a state between wakefulness & sleep
Mom holds Emily close
Desperation fills her heart
Knowing there’s nowhere else to go


Morning finally arrives
They’ve made it through another night
Emily awakens to her mother’s tears
And tells her,
“Don’t cry momma, you’ll see, we’ll be all right”


Days and weeks pass by
And each night is much the same
But as the nights grow colder
So does the illness and pain


Mom no longer seems to move so well
So in their hidden corner they stay
Even the search for food -
No longer happens everyday


As another morning finally arrives
Emily awakes at her mother’s side
But today, Emily is too young to understand
Why mom won’t even open her eyes


Emily,
only five years old
so sweet, so innocent …
Left all alone


Emily,
Only one story of many
in our failing economy






**Important Note:**
Image above is not my own and was found on photobucket. She is not Emily, simply a portrayal.



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14 Comments leave one →
  1. January 15, 2010 11:29 am

    its heart touching. homelessness is the worst thing that can happen to any one. i hope every human being had a roof on their head.

    • Quiet Waters Rise permalink*
      January 15, 2010 8:23 pm

      I would have to agree with you Trisha, it is one of the worst things that can happen. If you do not have a home, then you don’t have the basic necessities of life – warmth, food, shelter, and safety. However, unfortunately, it is much too common of an occurrence in too many areas of the world.

  2. January 15, 2010 3:11 pm

    you gave me the chills…

    • Quiet Waters Rise permalink*
      January 15, 2010 8:24 pm

      Thank you for your visit and I can understand your reaction. It is something so difficult to think about and touches the heart so deeply.

  3. January 15, 2010 9:09 pm

    I want to bring her home :( There shouldn’t be any Emilys in the world, or Emilys’ Mothers. This is so sad.

  4. Quiet Waters Rise permalink*
    January 15, 2010 9:24 pm

    Jacqui, I absolutely agree with you 100% – there shouldn’t be any Emily’s or Emily’s mothers in the world, although unfortunately there are too many.

    I would do the same & bring her home with me and all the others if only I could.

  5. January 17, 2010 2:26 pm

    A heartbreaking reality seen through the eyes of an innocent child. Which makes it all the more heartbreaking.

  6. January 20, 2010 5:06 am

    Nice work. It’s tough to hear people talk about their hard times, and “having trouble getting by” when there are many in this situation, who can’t meet their actual needs. The cable bill is not a necessity. Let’s hope that things start getting better.

  7. January 21, 2010 12:20 am

    This poem and the photo eclipse all the nay-sayers who bury their heads in the sand. They have no peripheral vision because it makes them uncomfortable. How terribly sad, all the way around.

  8. January 26, 2010 1:57 pm

    QWR, it’s really a great message.Infact, I like your poems because your poems are often written on sufferings of human life while I see most poets circulate their poetry around love and lust.

    It’s really a wonderful poem, I’ve read it sevral times. I think it’s also attached to the pain of people who become homeless after earthqukes etc.
    Those who have resources should certainly do something for their fellow human beings. These are the tests of both rich and the pooor.

    May Goid increase your wisdom. Ameen!

  9. January 28, 2010 5:47 am

    Hi, What a lovely poem, cheers from Marie in New Zealand

  10. willaim permalink
    January 29, 2010 1:03 pm

    This is the scenerion in Haiti and most parts around the world , in my own country the worst cases occured during the post election violence of 2007 that saw thousands of families dispalaced and longer without homes. it’s horrible to think about it because even now some are sleeping under camps.
    thank u 4 a nice poem loved it
    it potarys many of the Kenyans who suffered check out these pics http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/africa/2008/kenya/default.stm

  11. January 31, 2010 3:39 pm

    “A dream in flight
    Oh, so near”

    I liked that the best.

    This work reminds me of a quote from walt disney – dare to dream big dreams and be willing to pay the price to make them come true.

    Tom Bailey

  12. February 2, 2010 1:31 am

    another sad story and people ask why do I write sad poetry – people want to be cheered up – I’ve been listening to this for years.

    life is sad – I still want to live – it’s better than the alternative

    we’re visitors here of our own demise

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