Little Girl Lost Poem by Leria Hawkins

So lonely the cage of her prison walls
So solitary the existence she endured
I am sickened by her pain, her sadness
By the sorrow that consumed her soul
By the utter failure of her life's journey

A precious flame, forever snuffed
Taking the light, the possibilities lost
The laughter, the youthful spirit we loved
Gone, with decades still on the horizon
Her soul condemned to a lonely, painful end

She was spirited child, a butterfly that soared
A bright-eyed and colorful bloom
There was a treasure in her childish laughter
A giggle, silliness, an innocent smile
Even her stubborn pout brought us joy

Yet her joys were brief, her life so fleeting
She toddled from a shooting star to crumbling ash
A brilliant flame, that burns bright, then over...
Her future, stolen for no good reason
And for what? ? My heart breaks to know the truth

What little girl does not cherish her mama
Does not hunger for her nurturing touch
Whispers, praises, words of encouragement
Sometimes, the difference between fly or fall
She slipped away still yearning for that ever-elusive praise

Little girl lost…no, she was not blameless, but sorely misguided
A stranger to a gentle voice, a comforting hug
She yearned for the warmth of unconditional love
Always seeking, needing confirmation that she really mattered
But never finding the arms she so desperately needed

She stumbled, slipped, a slow slide into hopelessness
With nowhere to turn, no shoulder to lean on
Her isolation slowly turning into despair
Her life bearing no fruit, no light to lift and lead
She became lost to the joys of life and living

Her final flight, a painful journey into silence
Seeking comfort in the only arms she knew
A lonely last walk into the inevitable void
Clutching the cold glass of her destruction
Afraid to grasp the lifeline that could have saved her

No family gathered by her side in those final moments
No one held her hand or whispered "I love you"
She passed from this world a broken soul
Clutching her pain, and far worse…her fear
She left us frightened and alone

I wipe away tears when I think of her life
When I see the old photographs, recall her silly cry…CAVALIER!
All that's left are scraps of her precious but short life
She was our little girl lost, our sunshine, and sadly…our family's failure
I pray for her peace, and for healing in the afterlife