Time

Margaret V.Doran

My heart stood still
                  but time marched on
my breathing stopped
                  but time marched on
my eyes ceased their blink
                  but time marched on
            my self
                        stayed in horror and denial
How dare time march on?

How dare life not stop to give tribute
                  to the young mother so brutally slain
and pay reverent homage to the children
      who will never laugh again
            who will play games no more
                        who will never grow old

How dare time march on?

How dare life continue in its ebb and flow?
How dare there be no hole in the fabric of time
      for the mother
            for the children
                              for the baby?

How dare life make no exceptions
      for grief
                  and pain
                        and loss?

They were worth more . . . deserved much more
      than a simple pause in time.

(Laura, Sarah, Rachael and April Whitson were shot in September, 1995 by David Whitson. David hanged himself in his cell at the Oregon State Penitentiary in June, 1996 while serving a life sentence for the murders.)




Copyright © 1997 Margaret V. Doran. All rights reserved.
If you enjoyed this poem, please send her an e-mail here.

Two other poems were born from this tragic event. You may read them here: Laura | Margaret

Updated July 12, 1999
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