Jasper
Ballard lives and writes in southern New Jersey. This is his first
published poem (yay!) and it was rushed to the page because of its
timing. Jasper is new to publishing, but not new to writing. He is a
teacher and a missionary and Haiti is one of the places he has gone to
make a difference. He was planning to build homes in South America this
summer; he has decided to return to Haiti instead.
Childhood Lost
By Jasper Ballard
We see the images,
horrific images;
this can’t be.
They’re children.
Homes in ruins,
no hands to hold,
no clothes, no food.
They’re children.
Chaos reigns,
they wander in tears,
sleeping on sidewalks.
They’re children.
Childhood lost,
surrounded by death,
Papa, Maman, se, and fre,
no one is left, they are alone.
We have to hold them
and say “Mwen regret sa,”
they’re our children now.
They belong to the world.
Structures rebuilt, the hungry fed,
it will resemble what was
but won’t be the same
The children still lost.
They’re ours now.
They belong to the world.
Congratulations, Jasper, on having your first poem published. And it’s a good one, very moving.
congrats on your first poem publication!
very timely and apt. it is the children i can’t help but think of most during these times 🙁
Beautiful. I especially like the Haitian Creole.