She Came To Us

She came to us at birth with a head of dark black hair
which later fell out and came back in a light
wavy brown-blonde.
And then she came to us with a dimple in one
cheek and riddles about what is black and white
and red all over
and then she came to us with a lump in her leg
which was cancer and she was three years old.
And it came to us that this just wasn’t fair.

Her hair all fell out and it came to us that
bald was not only beautiful but hopeful
so she sang and riddled and loved her life.
And it came to us that we would do all that we
could to keep her alive.

And then the cancer came back and there
was no more chemo but radiation so
her hair grew longer and lovelier
as her days among us grew shorter.
And it came to us that we were being
broken.

And then she moved among us no more
and it came to us that movement of a different kind
may be happening...a wing of angels traveling
over us, always before us, saying love without
the words.

Vicki Woodyard
Written in memory of
Lauren Paige Woodyard
1971-1978