Polly's Bench

It's tucked beneath trees, as the leaves dwindle down The varnish has faded, but the seat is quite sound. Clouds cover the sunlight, that begs to pour in. Others sit in the shade, forgetting the tears, without giving much notice, or to think of past years Do they ponder the heartache, the story that's left, or remember the trace of the innocent face? Something swept through the heart, of this small coastal town, and still touches me deeply, in a personal way. I watch from the playground, of this small charter school, where my granddaughter plays in the cool, ocean dew. I remember again, with a soft whispered prayer, for the children who play here, perhaps some who will weep here. To keep them in comfort, and in safe loving arms. To keep every childhood from evil and harm. Carved in the bench is a name of a child A twelve year old girl, who attended this school. It's the same little school, where my granddaughter plays and learns daily lessons, every child needs to know. So we sit in shade, on this sage colored bench, then she goes to her class, where she basks in the love. She has asked all the questions that shouldn't be asked and spends all her days at the task of a child... With smiles for her teachers, just as Polly had smiled She runs through green grass, where Polly had been... This is the school, where my granddaughter goes She brought me to see, where a new garden grows, and showed me a bench that sits under trees ....and together we share, of what a child shouldn't know I sit with her now, with the robins and finches... We trace Polly's name, then our fingers embrace, in the shade of the trees... ....on a sage colored bench ______________________ A true story.... To see Polly's Story... http://www.pollyklaas.org/about/pollys-story.html But a story I felt I needed to tell........sad, but true...my granddaughter attended the same school where Polly had earlier been a student. A bench was dedicated in the name of Polly Klaas in remembrance of that terrible event 3/23/13 Resubmitted 12/21/15 for Any Sad Poem Contest: Sponsored by Broken Wings