Sweetie Sweetie
Could any child be more vulnerable?
photo by Daniel Berehulak of the New York Times
When her mother, dying of Ebola,
was loaded into the ambulance,
she climbed in too.
She tried to care for her mother
as she was dying.
Orphaned, no one even knew her name.
So they called her Sweetie Sweetie.
Sent to a group home, she waits,
watching the world with eyes
that commune with ghosts.
Workers from care agencies
walk through, from time to time,
assessing need.
Sweetie Sweetie's need is very simple:
a home.
"Do you want me?" she asks the people
as they pass.
*source: An Ebola Orphan's Plea: Do You Want Me?
by Daniel Berehulak of the New York Times
I seem to recall a news story about this little girl, walking away happily hand in hand with a young man who first cared for her, when her mother was dying. One small child's tragic situation hopefully resolved.
the best we can do at times is save them one at a time...that is one more...do you want me...what a sad sad question a child would have to ask...
ReplyDeleteDo you want me? I wonder if I would have the energy?
ReplyDeleteThere is so much tragedy in the world!
ReplyDeletedamn. powerful... ~
ReplyDeletewe forget while in our daily struggles to survive our plunderings of winter storms and snow which we will eventually dig ourselves out of because we have the tools, 'sweetie sweetie's will remain overhead and she'll sit there alone, barren of love. mucho triste!
ReplyDeleteeyes
ReplyDeletethat commune with ghosts...
This says it all, Sherry, There are so many heart-breaking stories of lives in ruin after the ebola crisis, which is not yet over.
A heart-breaking story--I read it too--I don't know if they let her go with the young man as there was a bit of worry about what he might do next--there is such terrible abuse on all sides--a heartbreaking story and great poem to write about it. k.
ReplyDeleteThis is so touching ... truly sad :-(
ReplyDeleteSuch a heart break
ReplyDeleteJust don't get into the established stereotype of aahs and oohs from gilded cages, Sherry
ReplyDelete^^^^wtf?
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad and tragic situation ~ Will read the link Sherry ~
ReplyDeleteVery powerful piece Sherry, so many like Sweetie Sweetie out there.
ReplyDeleteI was so touched by this when I first read it, Sherry, and meant to leave a comment. Unfortunately, my blog "modus operandi" these days has fallen into a rather dissheveled "flying by the seat-of-my-pants" state and, for some reason, I didn't get that far. But it is such a poignant piece.
ReplyDeleteThe youngest and most vulnerable always pay the greatest price for the meanness of this world. It just breaks your heart. Sad, sad, sad.
I can't bear the thought of unwanted children. My heart is broken to know there are so many.
ReplyDelete