She Was Only Thirteen by Mark Spencer

My wife and I tried for years
To have a child of our own.
We tried almost everything,
But the cause remained unknown.

Then we went to the doctor,
Tried the artificial way,
We had to do it three times,
But it all paid off one day.

One of the eggs was growing,
Though it was still early yet.
It looked very promising,
And success was a safe bet.

We were blessed nine months later,
The day of our daughter’s birth.
She was daddy’s little girl,
I was the proudest man on Earth.

She was a junior lifeguard,
And had been a girl scout.
She was growing up so fast,
Boys began to ask her out.

Then on her thirteenth birthday,
She did not come home from school.
We knew there was something wrong,
For she never broke that rule.

Someone said they saw a van,
With a teenage girl inside.
She seemed to be struggling,
Not just going for a ride.

The van had no license plate,
No way to identify.
The police still had no leads,
And my wife began to cry.

While in the weeks that followed,
We stayed strong and tried to cope,
With the negative people
Who had given up on hope.

It was seven months later,
After the seasonal rains,
That someone near the river
Stumbled upon her remains.

She had been raped and beaten,
Before he left her for dead.
Police found a plastic bag,
That was pulled over her head.

Her arms and legs were broken,
To prevent her fighting back.
They tell me she was tortured.
During this vicious attack.

My wife was devastated,
We were both consumed with grief.
And when they caught the killer,
We just watched in disbelief.

The jury found him guilty,
But they sentenced him to life,
Depression led to suicide,
And that’s how I lost my wife.

Twenty years have passed since then,
Years that I have spent alone,
My mind has grown dark and cold,
My heart, as hard as a stone.

I can’t forget my little girl,
Or that horrible crime scene!
What he did to my daughter,
God, she was only thirteen!

So I bought this revolver,
To end the aching in my soul.
I wait outside the prison,
For today he’ll make parole.

Martin Vann (63.208.40.110) -- Wednesday, October 29 2003, 08:22 pm

Rev., Mark, sinks to my level, & I thank him!
Rev Mark;

This is an outstanding message, poem. Yet, we know you as a man of God, and you must be speaking of someone else, for WE know, you would not use a gun, as others, of us would.

A bullet, would be to fast, you would use the BOOK, and with a verse from our God, send this demon, to ever lasting hell!

Rev. Mark, you are a messenger of our lord's heart, yet, I'm closer to you now, as I see you write, as a fragile human, like, myself. There is a message here, in my reply, I think you feel it, Rev., Mark!

Respects & Regards,

MartinV

KitKatrina (68.113.60.103) -- Thursday, October 30 2003, 09:40 am

no title
I really don't know how to react to this poem. I am sooo sorry and I loved your poem. It was so powerful. I pray for you and I agree with Martin...God bless you...

Leah06 (206.110.20.2) -- Thursday, October 30 2003, 09:24 pm

amazing...
it took me a while to think about this and how it made me feel. but actually i dont know exactly what to say. this poem is beyond words, beyond feeling. Its scary and sad and yet wonderful all at the same time. Its almost like i belive it but i dont at the same time.... i guess all i have left to say is this is the first time i have ever been lost for words. and lost for thought and feeling for that matter. im still amazed and im still in shock. wow.... just wow...

Leah Kendall

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All Rights Reserved. No part of this website, including all pictures and written words, may be reproduced or copied in any manner from this website without permission of the original author of the work. All poetry and pictures herein remain the sole property of the original author and/or copyright owner. All poetry on this website has been submitted by the original author of the work. To contact any author of the work please e-mail: dreamer@dreamersreality.com so the proper person may be notified.