A prayer for the children and parents of Haiti
I rocked my daughter to sleep just now
And I wept for the mothers who would never rock their children again
I laid her in her bed for a nap
And I sobbed for the fathers that will lay their children in early graves
I thought back to lunch and saw how foolish I was to be angry over spaghetti on her sleeves
And I shook my head in rage at the wild cruelty of creation which toppled a city in less than a minute
I tried to read the history of an island
And I was overwhelmed by alienation, racism and cruelty that keep visiting revenge on each new generation
I thought back to a doctor’s visit this week with vaccines, antibiotics, supplies without end
And I prayed for all the doctors that have only their compassion and good sense to depend on in the aftermath
I heard her cough in the other room, saw her shuffle around the corner tousle-headed from her nap
And I cried for all the children that would never be heard or seen by their parents again
I gathered her up in my arms, holding her tight, feeling her heart beat
And my heart broke for all the arms that would never hold children again
Lord have mercy.
