I Remember

He was almost five, and so alive
All alone, but still he’d strive
He could thrive, and survive
On one bowl a day
Of rice and corn
Another baby born
To a mother with AIDS, HIV
To her god I hear her plea
Please, not me
Oh god not me, I won’t be
Here to see
My baby turn three
Just set me free
Don’t take him, please take me
So he set her free, and she left this land
And now instead of hers, he holds my hand
I try to step quick but I’m in quicksand

This boy turns six and tries to change fate
He runs to school, but he’s already late
So we run hand in hand, not too slow
I made him a promise that I wouldn’t let go
But it’s getting harder for him to breathe
He needs a break, too often it seems
He coughs up blood and I hope this doesn’t mean
He’s living with a disease unseen

He tells me it’s his birthday today
But he’s still sick and cannot play
I know I’ll have to take him away
To get the test he tried to delay
So still I sit and hold his hand
As the doctor gives the test we demand
And the result comes back seven years too late
And I hate the world for this moment in fate
I see in his eyes what I won’t let him see in mine
This little boy will die, in time

And I wish instead the energy could leave me
As it left his mother, so swiftly
Anything but this little boy
Why couldn’t death just pick a new ploy
I look at him but do not weep
If he can’t jump I’ll have to leap
Skin so dark and eyes like stars
Wide enough to chase speeding cars

So time it came and time it went
And soon this little boy’s spirit was spent
But I held his hand as he said goodbye
As I promised him, I would not cry
And as the night became so still
I sat and let the quiet fill
All the air and every thought
And all the love this little boy brought
And when I look at my hand I still see his there
I’ve never seen a more beautiful pair


He was almost five
And so alive…



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