pcc@hlhop.UUCP (P.C. Criqui) (05/23/84)
I share the following with all of you. I am not a regular contributor or even reader in this newsgroup. But, it seemed to me that those who were would sense the power in what follows. As you will discover, this is not my poetry, but comes from another source. TO SANTA CLAUS AND LITTLE SISTERS Once...he wrote a poem. And he called it "Chops." Because that was the name of his dog, and that's what it was all about. And the teacher gave him an "A" And a gold star. And his mother hung it on the kitchen door, and read it to all his aunts... Once...he wrote another poem. And he called it "Question Marked Innocence." Because that was the name of his grief and that's what it was all about. And the professor gave him an "A" And a strange and steady look. And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door, because he never let her see it.. Once, at 3 a.m....he tried another poem... And he called it absolutely nothing, because that's what it was all about. And he gave himself an "A" And a slash on each damp wrist, And hung it on the bathroom door because he couldn't reach the kitchen. Written by a 15-year-old boy two years before he committed suicide