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Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores

0 posted 2000-04-19 07:33 AM


Take Not Our Children
~*Marge Tindal*~

I've cried the tears of innocence.
I've shed the tears of bliss.
But I cannot imagine
having to cry for this.

The saddness of the moment,
etched upon the slayers hand.
Random acts of violence
wrought within this land.

Satan reared his ugly head
and smite a mighty blow.
In the aftermath of horror
many teens did go.

Never to rise again.
Struck down before their prime.
Oh, dear God, please help us,
we can't stand the pain this time.

The parents of these children
asking the questions of why.
They gave, without wanting to do it,
their children gone...without saying goodbye.

Reach out and comfort them.
Hold them in your hand.
Show us how to stop this maddness
spreading across our land.

Mercy, infinite mercy
we implore you to try.
Comfort us in our loss.
Comfort us when we cry.


Reaching for comfort on the
first anniversary of the Littleton, Colorado
slayings at Columbine High School
*April 20, 1999*



© Copyright 2000 Marge Tindal - All Rights Reserved
serenity blaze
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since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738

1 posted 2000-04-19 07:39 AM


Solemn in my prayers with you--I remember well this awful day...thank you, mom, for reminding me how precious it is to be a mom.
Michael
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Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-13
Posts 7666
California
2 posted 2000-04-19 07:43 AM


The cry is not unheard, Marge, but the answers seem to come too slow.  This was a horrible tragedy and one destined to be repeated if something is not done soon.  My own daughter will be in high school next year... acts like this stand as one of my biggest fears.  May God hear our prayers.


Michael

[This message has been edited by Michael (edited 04-19-2000).]

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
3 posted 2000-04-19 08:02 AM


Serenity~
Hold them close and pray fervent prayers
for their safety.

Michael~
I feel your fear.
So sad that it is the fear
of so many parents.
How sad that today we honor the
Oklahoma City bombing victims of
five years ago and tomorrow
the Colorado shooting victims of
just one year ago.
Man, it is just enough to scare
hell out of all of us.
~*Marge*~



 ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com



INclan
Senior Member
since 1999-07-20
Posts 1024
Indiana, USA
4 posted 2000-04-19 09:48 AM


Thank you, Marge for posting this. I have a partial solution: Parents, be involved with your children, not to control or manipulate, but to guide, encourage and understand. Share in their lives, their joys, their fears, AND their hurts. Teach them YOUR values....EARLY! Care enough to evaluate fairly, discipline wisely, and love unconditionally.


I strive to live by these personal standards each day.  My kids can tell you if I have succeeded. The only other thing I could add is: start early......start early.....START EARLY!

INclan

Mike, I have one entering highschool this year as well. Yes, I think about it too.

Janet Marie
Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554

5 posted 2000-04-19 10:29 AM


Margie....I got a chill when I read your dedication...but your poem warms my heart.
your as beautiful as the poem.

Inclan...words of wisdom there my friend...
you speak the truth...
just yesterday I was at my daughters highschool to pick up somethings...I was only there for maybe 10 mins...but in that time I passed 2 armed security guards and had to stop at 2 check points and sign in before being allowed in the main building...this is the normal routine...
BUT SHOULD NOT ever be considered NORMAL...
I always wonder when Im there... do the kids get use to it...and how much does one learn from fear.
thanx for listening to the ramblings of a scared parent.
jm

Seymour Tabin
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since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720
Tamarac Fla
6 posted 2000-04-19 11:53 AM


Marge,
Amen. *L*

Tess
Member
since 2000-03-22
Posts 288
Australia
7 posted 2000-04-19 12:41 PM


I think anyone with children has these fears,  its like the ripples on a pond, the violence seems to spread, but remember too we can spread our own ripples of love and caring, and hopefully reverse the flow.

 "Love is the only drug you can take that will convince you each time
that you've never had it before."
~author unknown~



Martie
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since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
8 posted 2000-04-19 02:01 PM


Marge, I echo Sy's amen!!
TerryW
Senior Member
since 2000-03-23
Posts 779
Louisville, Mississippi, USA
9 posted 2000-04-19 02:21 PM


~Marge~
     I bow my head in silence.  This is very touching and oh, so true.  I think that many of us tend to forget too quickly if we are not reminded, for our daily lives take us out of reach of these tragedies.  We may feel bad about it when something like this happens, but most people tend to forget when the news story starts to fade. I thank you for reminding me that I should be thinking about these things, because only in remembering the past tragedies can we ever hope to avoid ones in the future.


~Love Ya~

  

 ~you reached inside, you touched my heart,
and I am all the better for it~
Terry A. Woodson, Jr.

RSEvans
Senior Member
since 1999-10-23
Posts 1147
Tulsa, OK, USA
10 posted 2000-04-19 02:39 PM


There was a candlelight vigil for the anniversary here.  Today they dedicated the Oklahoma City Murrah Memorial to the victims of another April massacre.  Senseless violence that rings in Spring.  We can only pray that our lives are not marred by another.
Sunshine
Administrator
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since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
11 posted 2000-04-19 03:05 PM


I only pray that we all get through this April [and every other month] without another senseless tragedy - other than Elian's.
Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
12 posted 2000-04-19 09:25 PM


INclan~
Thank you for your thoughts.
You are correct.

JanetMarie~
Hon, it should send chills through us all.
My dear God, what comfort comes to
those parents, family and friends tomorrow?

Seymour~
Thank you.

Tess~
God, let us hope so.

Martie~
Yeah ... me too.

TerryW~
I agree.  And the parents of those teens
and the family of the teacher deserve our remembrance.
Thank you for your thoughts.

RSEvans~
God, let us pray that we need
light no more candles of remembrance
for tragedies of the future.

Sunshine~
Amen to that, my dear friend.

Love to you all.
~*Marge*~

LoveBug
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since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697

13 posted 2000-04-19 09:28 PM


A beautiful tribute, Marge. But I think an even more beautiful tribute would be to let a teenager or a child know that they are loved and that you care what happens to them. You may think that they know, but many don't.

 "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde

WhiteNite
Member
since 2000-04-09
Posts 241
Montgomery, AL
14 posted 2000-04-19 09:35 PM


I think I'm speechless... this poem is awesome!  As someone mearly watching from the outside, through TV and news papers this one REALLY got me.

------------------------
Never to rise again.
Struck down before their prime.
Oh, dear God, please help us,
we can't stand the pain this time
------------------------

So many times this is the only part we ever see in the papers... publicized after it's too late to do anything for this one child.  Almost brought tears to me eyes as I read thse lines.  Thanks you Marge.

Marge Tindal
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15 posted 2000-04-20 06:52 AM


LoveBug~
Sweetie, of course you are right .. and we need to hug our youth close to our hearts.
We also need to take this moment to remember the teens that lost their lives to such a senseless tragic act ... were the 'light' in someone else's eyes.  *HUGS*

WhiteNite~
Too many times is right.
Thank you for your caring thoughts.
~*Marge*~

Richter_9
Junior Member
since 2000-04-09
Posts 41
Whereever I happen to be at the time
16 posted 2000-04-20 07:03 AM


Columbine will ever remain in my prayers.  But I shall pray for the future as well.
This piece moves me.  


Rich

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
17 posted 2000-04-20 02:03 PM


Rich~
We focus on the future ... reminded of the past.  I couldn't agree more.
Let's just pray that it gets better than it's been.
~*Marge*~


 ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com



Denise
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Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648

18 posted 2000-04-20 02:58 PM


This is very touching, Marge.

Denise

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