Beautiful As Daisies

She was Rachel, beautiful as her name and in all ways. In innocence, caught up in “grown up, worldly things Folks who knew her laughed it off took is as if a joke At a loss to grasp the deeper meaning behind it all Her parents were alarmed and sought to reinforce their rules But it seemed it was too late to remedy this state It’s so hard to understand how this change came about One moment she was their baby, the next, a stranger in their midst This tragedy could not have been any part of God’s plan Lost, running away, leaving behind comfort and warmth She, instead would hitch-hike her way to live as a stray Rachel and her friends never envisioned the many dangers For lack of better judgment, with her life she would pay He seemed like an average “Joe”, wearing a jacket of softest leather She thought, ‘He’s hot and dressed fine; no way could he be whack’ Inexperience and temperament silently urged her on Repressed anger held fast as she played a game of dice She’d been waiting at the gas station just off Route Seventy Seven Many hours past, as she mulled over random thoughts Cold, tired and hungry, it was getting late as panic took a seat Contn'd Pg. 2