A mother's blood shed at the hand of a son,
not that of a stranger.
A man full of anger
So much anger he consumed or should I say consumed him
Life from her very womb,
Robbed her of her future as she took her last breath.
Did she go quickly? Or did she see the pain he inflicted
Freedom restricted
Innocence taken
Lives forever shaken.
Children running and screaming
From stray bullets streaming
Those that were spared
Forever shattered and scared.
Scars left...
in the presence of death.
Too young to comprehend
When and how do they begin to mend
Little hearts broken
To young to explain the pain they are feeling,  words go unspoken.
Families waiting for their children to come home
Just as they do each and everyday
The sound of their laughter
the looks of joy as they play.
But not today!
Gone!
Taken!
Forever heartbroken and shaken!
An empty house filled with sadness and tears
looking back on short lived memories
not enough time,
such short lived years.
Presents awaiting these innocent lives
under the Christmas tree.
Forever unopened,
sitting there, bare, empty
ever reminding the broken hearted
of the last morning they got their children off to school
Never to come home to the safety of their arms
Unable to protect them from an unforeseeable harm.

I gaze upon the empty branches
Dark and brittle now covered with
winters harsh presence of heavy snow smothering all surfaces that once illuminated with life.
The sky is no longer blue,
grey consumes the once beautiful light that shone down so bright.
Time to reflect on what was and what will be
Reflection and inner growth until the first bud of spring flows in peace with the streams.