My First Wrinkle
By Jill Harrington Nichols
My first wrinkle
began at age
seven
It started in
my heart
then went to
my smile
my 1st grade
friend
died
at the hands
of a madman
He had to be
mad
Right out of
his mind
to kill
such a
beautiful girl
on the 7th birthday
that we shared
We played
Time Bomb
Button, button
Who’s got the button?
on our 40th birthday
I placed
40 buttons
of different
colors
and styles
at her stone
On each birthday
and sometime
in between
I pray
and imagine her
beyond the rim
of the sunset
I have many winkles
now
we were born
in 1956
the year that
Sandy Hook School
was built
Tonight, the Christmas lights
are bright and shining
in Newtown
it is comforting to see
peace is settling down
again
life will go on
that is Life’s way
and so too must we
To teach
To learn
To grow
In memory of Deborah Sue Hampton, (February 3, 1956 – May 28, 1961)
To all those at the Sandy Hook School who lost their lives, and those whose hearts were touched
On December 14, 2012.
2016 (56) years