The After

We hear about a child,
That had an accident,
No cause and effect,
Just fate or so it seems,
Details across the screen,
More at Nine.

We read about a girl,
That took the short way out,
The words are black,
They speak of red,
The print says she was picked on,
The picture shows her smiling.

We see a car wreck on the road,
Flames paint the night sky red,
We stare at twisted metal,
The ambulance siren is off.

We don't hear about the after,
The mother struck with grief,
guilt plagues her dreams with the promises,
of what could have been,
and what isn't.

We don't read about the after,
The best friend left behind,
She still has pictures to cling to,
Wondering why she couldn't tell,
Through all the smiles,
Laughs, and secrets shared,
How could she not have known?

We don't see the after,
The empty driveway,
The call that doesn't come,
And the call that carries dreaded words,
The person left at home,
Wondering why,
They are left alone.